


Holding On to You

by lily8007



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/F, Femslash Ficlets Prompt Table Challenge: Literature, I am Supercorp Trash, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Reunions, Trope Bingo Round 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22320844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lily8007/pseuds/lily8007
Summary: After the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Kara and Lena both wake up in a world that's familiar ... but fundamentally different.  On Earth Prime, Lex Luthor never discredited his family name; it's a world where he receives the recognition he feels he deserves.  The changes he made to bring that about have had unexpected ramifications.  Kara and Lena both remember the original timeline, both of them try to find out how this world diverged ... and both of them discover shocking new truths that will change their future.This fic satisfiesTrope Bingo Round 14prompt "Fake Relationship, andthe Femslash Ficlets Queer Women's Literature challengeprompt: "That conversation we were always on the edge / of having, runs on in my head." ~Adrienne Rich, Twenty-One Love Poems
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 158
Kudos: 925





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm new to this fandom, so please be kind. This was written in response to the trailer and the first sneak peek for Supergirl 5x10, showing that Lena remembers - the full episode has not yet aired as of posting this.  
> (The DEO commercial hadn't aired yet either omg WHAT.) I would love to be right about something, but I'm not going to pretend that I can guess where the writers are going. The speculation on Tumblr is rampant, and fascinating. [(You can find me there, too. Feel free to message, I don't bite.)](https://supercorpsapphic.tumblr.com/)
> 
> If you have me on author alert for my Talia al Ghul works, don't worry, I am not abandoning my favorite comics character of all time. This is just a crush, Talia is my true love. And if you're an Arrowverse fan curious about my other work, be aware that the version of Talia I write here bears little resemblance to the one you know. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

They’d saved the world, and somehow Oliver had merged all their worlds into one. With a key difference - _Lex Luthor_ won a Nobel Prize, instead of being dragged off to prison. Oh, and he owned the DEO.

Kara seethed at that. It was the only shadow darkening her overwhelming joy at having her family, her friends, her _world_ back. Still, she was too busy to do anything about it just yet. There was the whole Beebo situation, and the Anti-Monitor showing back up, all of them having to defeat him again. Hopefully for the last time. At least J’onn managed to restore her friends’ memories of the Crisis and the original timeline, because explaining things to Alex would just give her even more of a headache than before.

After things calmed down, she invited Kate over to watch the president’s address with her and Alex. It just seemed the natural thing to do; Kate was in town anyway, and they had the space, and Kara liked her company. Hope and courage, they worked well together. Anyway, Kate had too much of a tendency to play lone wolf; a night of excessive potsticker consumption among friends would be good for her. 

After the address, Kara finally had two seconds to _breathe_ , and left Alex and Kate talking to go do some research. This wasn’t quite the world she knew, after all, and she needed to figure out the major differences before she talked to anyone again. 

The first and simplest thing to do was to Google her own name. Kara did that, planning to read her wiki article first, and then whatever news stories were necessary. She’d have to read up on all her friends next, and then Lex, to see just how much he’d changed in this world.

Alex was snickering at Kate’s story about getting back at the bigoted restaurant owner when Kara’s scream of disbelief startled them both right off the couch. “I’m _what_?!” she yelled, dropping her phone.

…

“I haven’t quite figured out _all_ the ramifications yet, but so far I like this world,” Lex was saying, sipping his mimosa with smug self-satisfaction. “It has so many possibilities. Hard not to like a world that offers you one of its highest honors on your first day in it. And you, Lena - I’m so glad you remember everything. It saves a lot of explanation.”

Lena stared at him. He’d been dead. She’d _killed_ him. Now Lex was alive and standing right here in front of her, talking like the little fact of being shot to death hadn’t slowed him down in the slightest. Like he wasn’t even angry with her. He'd even claimed to forgive her; and had only smirked at her reaction to hearing they worked _together_. It _was_ hell, for her anyway.

She’d wanted to shoot him again for that smirk.

Lena looked around her apartment, realizing that if he’d never been discredited, she’d probably never taken over as CEO. The last three years of work were just _gone_. And God only knew what else was different. 

She still hadn’t spoken a word since her outburst, and Lex closed the distance between them. “Lena? You all right?”

“I need to know what’s changed,” she finally said, settling on that as the safest response. She picked up a tablet instead of the drink he’d poured. A quick search ought to at least tell her what she’d spent the last three years doing, if not cleaning up after Lex.

Lex sipped his own drink, watching her with a pleased smile, but the expression faded as her eyes got wider. “What is it?” he asked, and Lena didn’t answer him. 

She just scrolled down, looking more shocked with every second. Lex stalked behind her to read over her shoulder… 

… and dropped his glass with a muttered curse, not caring how it shattered. “I _certainly_ didn’t plan for _that_!”

…

“Kara, what is it?” Alex asked, hurrying to her side. Kate flanked Kara, giving Alex a worried glance. This world was different, but just _how_ different?

Kara seemed incapable of speech, scrolling through a series of news stories. She stopped on one, letting out a whimper. Kate looked over her shoulder … and bit her lip.

 _10 Celebrities We Think Will Tie the Knot This Year_ , the headline read, and underneath was a photo of Kara laughing with a gorgeous dark-haired woman. Kate scanned down, seeing the caption: ‘LuthorCorp chief operating officer Lena Luthor and CatCo’s star reporter Kara Danvers have been the definition of #powercouple in National City for two years. Will these ladies take the next step, or keep us in suspense again?’

Kate crossed her arms as Kara clicked to another similar article, with photos of them at dinner in a restaurant. And another, leaving the symphony. “Nice catch,” she finally said. “Even if she is a Luthor.”

Kara looked at her wild-eyed. “She’s my _best friend_ , Kate! Not … oh Rao, she doesn’t know. _This_ is the world she remembers, she doesn’t know everything that happened, she doesn’t remember killing Lex or him telling her I’m Supergirl or … oh, this is going to be a _disaster_!”

“Sleeping with the enemy usually is,” Kate offered.

“Lena is _not_ the enemy,” Kara shot back, bristling. “Even with the whole thing with Myriad, she’s _not_. I hurt her, I lied to her for so long, everyone she’s ever loved has betrayed her, _including me_. I can’t blame her for being hurt.”

Kate nodded slowly. “Okay, I’m seeing the Paragon of Hope thing here. But all of that didn’t happen on this Earth.”

“Lex knows enough of it,” Kara said, her eyes going cold. “He’s going to try to manipulate her, just like he always does. He’ll tell her I lied to her, he’ll know just what to say to break her heart, because he’s already done it once.” 

Her voice rumbled with a banked rage that Kate hadn’t heard from her before - and she’d confronted Kara with kryptonite in her hand. If she’d heard her like this, she might’ve used it; the look in her eyes was an uncomfortable reminder of just how _powerful_ Kryptonians were. 

But she wasn’t Bruce, and Kate checked her impulsive reaction even as Kara said, “I have to stop him. If I can get to her first…” She stood up, looking ready to bolt right then.

“Hold on,” Alex said, catching her shoulder. “Kara, _wait_ , you don’t know what will happen…” 

“Alex, you don’t understand, I have a chance to do this _right_ this time,” Kara insisted, and was gone, the curtains fluttering in her wake. Alex groaned.

Kate raised a sardonic eyebrow. “So, does your whole family do the gay disaster bit this dramatically? Or is it just a Super thing?”

…

Lena could only stare, Lex looking over her shoulder, at the article she’d pulled up. Like an unfortunate amount of her press, it had come from the kind of gossip rag that thrived on scandal, and the headline was as ridiculous as most such media was: _Lena Luthor ‘Working’ Late: Company Time with Kara Danvers_. Lena hadn’t read a single sentence, her eyes fixed on the photo. The damnable, damning photo.

It had been taken from a distance, probably with a telephoto lens, and showed her and Kara in the doorway of L-Corp. LuthorCorp, she supposed, in this world. Same doorway, though, and in what version of the world would she be so _careless_? Checking for paparazzi was second nature to a Luthor, she was always on her guard.

Yet there she was, on a public street, very clearly kissing Kara. And being kissed back. _Thoroughly._

The analytical side of her mind noted the angle of her jaw, the way her hands gripped Kara’s shoulders, how dangerously low Kara’s hand was on her hip, and the way her other hand was tangled in Lena’s hair. Lena was pressed up against the wall, but she was pulling Kara closer, and _oh God_ she was even wrapping her leg around Kara’s knee. All of that added up to one _very_ passionate kiss, which probably explained why she hadn’t been thinking about potential photographers at the moment.

Being kissed like that, _by Kara_ , would definitely distract her from everything and anything else.

Lex picked up the drink he’d poured for her, and sat down on the couch, staring at the same photo. “Well that explains why you’d shoot your _brother_ for an _alien_. How did you manage to hide that from me, Lena?” 

“I shot you because you’re an egocentric maniac,” Lena spat. “Because you were going to destroy everything I’d tried to build!”

“And also because you were sleeping with Kara Danvers,” Lex supplied.

“I wasn’t sleeping with her, Lex!” Lena snapped.

“Well, I didn’t change the world _that_ much, Lena. Obviously us supporting them just allowed you two to come out of the closet. A Luthor and a Super? No one on our Earth would take either of you seriously again. Here, apparently you didn’t feel the need to hide it.”

Her teeth clenched, furious at this final betrayal. It wasn’t enough to wipe out all of her work, every hard-won accomplishment. No, Lex had to go and do _this,_ too, show her a life that could’ve been close to perfect. It was everything Lena hadn’t let herself want, and seeing it there on the page broke her heart all over again. 

Lena’s voice came out as a snarl of pain and fury. “ _I was_ **_not_ ** _sleeping with her!_ In our Earth or anywhere else!”

To her even greater wrath, Lex didn’t even have the grace to be perturbed. He only held out his phone. “Lena, this is an Instagram photo of her _in your bed_. Topless.” A considering pause, and he added, “Good taste, at least, but you really should’ve kept to humans.”

“ _You_ did this,” Lena told him, her voice shaking. “You somehow altered all of time and history and all the worlds that ever were. I _remember_ trying to evacuate this planet, Lex! I remember seeing the antimatter wave coming, no matter what we did, nothing could hold it off, and the next thing I know, I wake up and you’re _alive_ and you’ve _meddled_ and changed _everything_. None of it makes _sense_. What did you do, Lex?”

She didn’t really expect an answer, and when Lex gave one, Lena stilled her heart to listen. “We remade the world, all of us. The Paragons, he called us, and I wrote myself into it because none of them could’ve been trusted to do this right. _Heroes_ , Lena, they always ruin things because they can’t accept reality. We used the Book of Destiny and focused on what the world _should_ be. The rest had their minds on what made them Paragons; love, courage, hope like your girlfriend there, whatever motivates them. Mine was _truth_. And the truth is, this world never gave me the acknowledgement I _deserved_.” 

He was cold, and calm, like Lillian. Like Lena usually was, in a moment like this, but she _remembered_. Everything. Lex telling her the truth about Kara. The look in Kara’s eyes when she tried to do the same thing, only she was too late. Faking her own forgiveness and hating herself for the way her heart skipped a beat at Kara’s overwhelming relief. Using Kara, who even though she should’ve _known_ better, had stolen Lex’s journals for her.

Lena remembered all of that, and now she saw this life she _could’ve_ had, one where Lex never ruined their family name. It was the life she _should_ have had, but she only remembered the life where she fought for every scrap of approval and trust, where she saved the company and the family legacy only by sinking every last drop of her own intelligence and ability into it, working herself harder than she’d ever imagined she could. All of that, and in the end the single brightest spot in her life turned out to be a _lie_. Another betrayal. 

It _burned_ in her chest, and Lena glared at her brother. She’d loved him and hated him and loved him despite the hate. But this? This might have been the cruelest blow he’d ever struck. This world couldn’t be real, and if everyone she knew remembered a different past, Lena found herself feeling very alone. “You altered the course of an entire _universe_ , just for your own miserable selfish ends. For _power_ , and public acclaim. You’re not the Paragon of Truth, Lex, you’re the Paragon of Ego.”

He looked honestly surprised by the venom in her voice, and that was a startling victory, for Lena.

…

Kara flew straight for the L-Corp … no, the _LuthorCorp_ building, listening for Lena’s voice and trying to nerve herself up for this conversation. If the Luthors were her biggest supporters, no one would think it strange for her to stop in for a quick chat, right?

She heard Lex first, and what he was saying dashed all her hopes, halting her in mid-flight. _“Heroes, Lena, they always ruin things because they can’t accept reality. We used the Book of Destiny and focused on what the world should be.”_

It meant she was too late, Lex was already telling Lena _his_ version of events, in which Kara was of course the villain. The worst part was, he didn’t even have to lie. He could just choose the most hurtful things to tell her, the ones Kara felt most ashamed of, and that would be enough. She brought about her own doom.

Kara couldn’t stand to hear the rest of it. She flew back to the apartment, her head spinning. Kate and Alex were both looking at her expectantly, and she just flung herself onto the couch, pressing her hands to her temples. “Too late,” she said bitterly. “Lex was already there, he’s already poisoning her against me.”

“So why didn’t you fly on in and stop him?” Kate asked.

Kara laughed, hating the jagged sound of it. “Yeah, that’d be great. This is a world where _no one suspects him_. He could have all kinds of kryptonite hidden there.” Never mind that she simply couldn’t face Lena. Her one chance to fix things, to just have the courage to tell Lena the truth _herself_ , was gone. She’d missed it.

She was probably _saving the world_ at the time, but if she had looked herself up sooner, if she hadn’t stopped to watch the president’s speech, or if… “I should’ve gone straight to Lena once things calmed down,” she said miserably.

“Sounds like you couldn’t go straight to Lena if you tried,” Kate said, raising a dark eyebrow. Alex coughed at that, but she didn’t protest.

Kara glared at her, but the Paragon of Courage wasn’t intimidated. “This isn’t funny, Kate.”

“I’m not making a joke,” Kate said, taking a sip from one of the beers Kara kept in the fridge for Alex. “You’re not looking at the big picture.”

“Oh really?” Kara snapped, sitting up. “The _big picture_ is Lex Luthor roped us all into this world where _he’s_ the good guy. And now the single biggest mistake I ever made is happening all over again. I _lied_ to my best friend, even after I knew how everyone else in her life betrayed her, I kept lying because I was too scared to tell the truth. Now he’s got her under his thumb again, he broke her heart once and he’s breaking it right now, she’s going to _hate_ me and it’ll send her off on this path that I’m so scared of, because I don’t know how to call her back. And I _know_ how much she’s hurting, she made sure I would understand every bit of it, and _I can’t make it_ **_right_** _!_ ”

Somehow she’d ended up on her feet, practically yelling at Kate, who didn’t bother to stand up and just looked at her expectantly. She finished with a disbelieving, “And all _you_ can do is make a stupid _gay pun_ out of it!”

Kate took a deep breath, and shook her head. Even Alex was looking askance at her nonchalance. Finally she said, “Have you given any thought to the fact that in a world where Lena doesn’t have to put all her energy into proving she isn’t her brother, you two are practically engaged?”

“No!” Kara snapped.

Kate looked at her like she could tell that was a lie, and just said, “Maybe you should. Maybe it means everything _you_ remember is still true. You believe in her, right? You believe that, if she knew everything, she’d make the right choice?”

“She killed her brother for me,” Kara said, her voice choking up. “You don’t know Lena. She’s such a selfless, caring person. She’s _nothing_ like Lex.”

“And you’re in love with her,” Kate said flatly.

Alex sputtered, her eyes going wide, and Kara reeled back in surprise. “She’s my best friend…” 

“Doesn’t change the fact that this is the gayest thing I’ve seen outside of a mirror,” Kate replied. “Kara, seriously. _Listen to yourself_. This is lesbian pining. You’re in love with the woman, and it’s pretty obvious she loves you, too.”

And Alex’s jaw dropped, looking at Kara with something that wasn’t quite surprise. Kara hurriedly said, “It doesn’t matter. This isn’t the world I remember, so in a way she’s not really the same Lena.” It broke her heart to say that, especially given how she had focused so hard on _hope_ as the world was reborn. The hope that her family and friends would be okay, of course, but deep in her secret heart the hope that _Lena_ would be okay. The desperate, blind, painful hope that she might somehow be able to make it up to Lena. If the Book of Destiny had worked the way Kara wanted it to, this Lena would be _hers_. Not someone from an alternate timeline who just happened to look and sound and act like Lena, _her_ Lena.

Kara wanted the same Lena she’d lied to, so she could promise never to do it again.

“Okay, back up,” Alex said. “Until J’onn restored my memories, I believed in this timeline, too. Does that mean I’m not the same Alex? I’m not really _your_ sister?”

“No, because you remember now,” Kara said, and saw where she was going with it. “Wait, you’re right, everyone here is the same, it’s just … different memories. So all we need to do is get J’onn to restore Lena’s memories of the original timeline!”

“And then she hates you,” Kate pointed out. “Because of all the lying and hurting and stuff.”

Alex had brightened, but now she slumped again. “Kate’s right. Maybe … maybe we’re better off this way.”

“ _No_ ,” Kara told them forcefully. “Guys, no, it’s just another way of lying to Lena. I won’t do that again. We have to give her back her memories of what really happened. She might hate me, but she won’t help Lex. She _knows_ he’s wrong.”

Kate looked doubtful, but Alex met Kara’s gaze. “When we were trying to evacuate … I asked for her help. And she gave it. Reminding me the whole time that it didn’t make us friends, and she still hates me, of course. But she _did_ help. When it came to holding a grudge or saving the world, Lena saved the world. We couldn’t have gotten the portal stabilized without her.”

“I _told_ you!” Kara exclaimed.

“Sounds like a plan,” Kate said, taking a swig of beer. “So, when you go tell her the truth, don’t forget the part where you’re in love with her, and half the reason you lied was because you were afraid to lose her, okay? Trust me, it’s the scariest thing you can imagine, but it’ll only get worse if you don’t do it.”

“I’m not…” Kara fell silent, because that rang uncomfortably true. And if she tried to say the thought of dating Lena hasn’t been chasing itself around her mind since she saw that article, she’d be lying. All she could say was, “How do you _know_ this stuff?”

“It’s a Bat thing,” Kate told her with a crooked grin. “Also I’ve got my share of problems. Fix this, Supergirl, before it becomes something you regret for the rest of your life. If you love her, don’t give up on her.”

“Never,” Kara said sternly.

Her determination was only slightly shaken by her phone chirping a reminder at her. _Dinner @Ruffio’s 9 PM, wear the blue dress!_ , it read, and Kara groaned. “Oh, Rao, how am I going to do this?”

Ruffio’s was the kind of place only Lena could really afford. And the only blue dress in her closet right now was definitely a _date night_ outfit.


	2. Chapter 2

Lex’s voice still echoed in Lena’s ears. He had harped on this point - no matter _what_ she knew or remembered, the entire rest of the world expected her and Kara to be dating. On the verge of getting engaged. Several websites even had polls going, trying to figure out the exact date, and who would propose to whom. It was absolutely surreal.

 _This is an advantage we can’t afford to lose,_ Lex had said. _Look at all of this positive press - you’re a_ **_role model_ ** _, Lena. Besides, it’s just dinner. Go on the date already. We’ll sort out how to use this later._

And that was the fundamental difference between them, Lena thought. Lex saw this with Kara as an advantage to exploit. Lena couldn’t help thinking of it as a relationship - one Kara had razed and burned with her lies. She’d opened her heart too much to be as cold as she wanted to now.

Kara didn’t call to cancel, which Lena had halfway expected. All the Paragons knew, of course. Lex had told her she was the only other person on the planet who remembered the old timeline, and that he’d arranged it that way so she could rule at his side. Lena had her doubts about that - he hadn’t seemed _terribly_ surprised that she remembered everything, but he also hadn’t seemed _certain_.

So she picked a deep burgundy dress, and told her driver to head for Kara’s apartment. Trying to keep up the facade of not knowing, of believing in this new timeline, she sent Kara a text. _On my way. You ready?_

A few seconds later, the response came in. _Yes._

Lena allowed herself a frown in the privacy of the car. Of course, Kara remembered everything, and she’d probably seen the articles. And the photographs. She knew about tonight’s date. It had to be stressful, trying to maintain such a web of lies. Lena wondered coldly how well Kara would manage it, when Lena herself was no longer blinded by all the acceptance and encouragement she’d yearned for all her life.

When they arrived at Kara’s building, Lena got out, intending to ring the bell. But Kara had been waiting for her just inside the lobby, and came outside hurriedly, her expression worried. _Not so good a liar, after all,_ Lena thought with a vicious spike of satisfaction.

She didn’t let it show on her face, smiling warmly. Lillian had taught her how to make a mask of her features, how to show only the appropriate emotion. And Lena knew from her own memories that she was a good enough actress to fool Kara. So she kept moving, holding her hands out, and asked in suggestive tones, “Were you looking forward to tonight, darling?”

Kara visibly swallowed, her cheeks turning pink at the implication. _How far do I have to take this ruse?_ Lena had asked Lex, and he’d just looked at her flatly. _As far as it has to,_ he’d said. _I doubt it’ll be a hardship, based on these photos._ Scrolling through a series taken at a fundraiser, with Kara’s hands on Lena in every shot, touching her arm, holding her hand, resting lightly at the small of her back, even one of them seated side by side and Kara’s hand lightly touching her knee. Dozens of possessive little caresses, and Lex looked at them with such disdain that Lena’s cheeks burned. That wasn’t really _her_ , none of those intimate little moments had actually _happened_ , and yet seeing herself claimed like that, over and over, still made her feel strangely exposed. 

“Lena, um,” Kara began, and she was floundering already even as she took Lena’s hands. “We really need to talk.”

Kara knew, but she didn’t know that Lena knew. And all of it suddenly became more complicated when Lena spotted a man with a camera around his neck, two blocks away. She made herself smile more broadly, pulling Kara’s hands toward her. “We can talk in the car. I’ve been thinking about this all day.” Saying so would get her moving, and also twist the knife a little for all the betrayals Lena had to suffer.

Even Kara’s ears turned red at that. “No, Lena, really. I think … maybe this isn’t the best idea, maybe we should just take tonight to talk about some things.”

She looked awkward, uncomfortable; she was pulling away slightly, and Lena had come here with one first principal in mind: don’t disturb the new timeline. On that topic, she and Lex were in agreement; they didn’t want to start any rumors or doubts that would affect LuthorCorp. So Kara couldn’t be allowed to make it look as if they _weren’t_ dating. And at the moment, she was being too shy to keep the facade believable. 

There were several ways Lena could handle that, but the photographer raising his camera gave her an idea. All the varied purposes slotted together into one clear choice: maintain the cover story, convince Lex she was dedicated to his purpose, get Kara in the car quickly, take a slice of revenge for all of her own pain and confusion, and last but not least, finally do what _Lena_ wanted for once.

She leaned in and kissed Kara. No hesitation, no coyness, not at all like a first kiss. She kissed Kara like they’d been kissing for months, like it was second nature to her. Like she’d been imagining it her mind for years.

Like the altered timeline _owed_ her this.

Kara froze for half a second, and Lena saw her eyes go wide just before closing her own. She didn’t want to see that face turn calculating - or revolted. She imagined the Kara she’d once thought she knew, and kissed her the way she’d wanted to for the last three years, letting herself sink into it.

Just that tiny instant of hesitation, and then Kara’s hands were on her hips, tugging Lena so close she felt molded to Kara’s body. Kara’s incredibly fit, incredibly strong, incredibly _perfect_ body, and a frisson of excitement ran through her. Kara was the one who moved in, angling her jaw and running her tongue over Lena’s lip. That startled Lena into opening her eyes, and her mouth, Kara deepening the kiss even with her brows furrowed in some impossible mix of desire and sorrow. Kara made a hungry little sound, almost a moan, and Lena stole it from her mouth as she pressed even closer.

Lena found herself with her hands in Kara’s hair, kissing her deeply, and it felt much too _right_ to be safe. She’d been lying to herself before; _this_ was why she’d been willing to risk everything, bare her soul, betray her family. That this impossible being, all this strength wrapped up in such tender sweetness, cared about _her_ . Not her name, not her wealth, not her connections, just _Lena_. It was a dream she never thought would be fulfilled, a feeling more addictive than any drug, and she _had_ to keep her head.

No matter how good Kara’s mouth felt on hers, she couldn’t forgive the lies she’d heard from it.

She only pulled back to breathe, remembering the paparazzi at the last second, but Lena decided not to care. They’d given him something to print that would fit with this world’s narrative. 

Kara looked dazed. “ _Lena_. I … _wow_.”

Triumphant satisfaction made her smile. Deceitful as she might be, it seemed that Kara had _some_ genuine feelings for Lena. Ones that could be exploited. “Get in the car, lover,” Lena purred, and saw Kara’s eyes go wide again. At least she didn’t argue, and held the door for Lena before getting in.

Kara sat across from her, and the moment the door closed, her worried expression was back. “Okay, now we _really_ need to talk. About everything.”

Lena sighed, and slid down the privacy divider. “George, take the long way, if you would. They’ll hold my table.” He agreed without comment, and she rolled it back up, turning back to Kara.

Who shifted everything by saying, “I know Lex told you about what happened. Who I am, the Crisis, how some of us remember a very different history than this world. I know you’ve got a whole set of memories that he told you are basically false.”

For a moment, Lena could only blink. The plan was to make Kara think that Lena _didn’t_ know, and then play a delicate chess game with her expectations, but the Kryptonian had just overturned the board.

Fine, any Luthor worth the name could think on her feet. Lena tossed out a quick question, as a distraction. “How do you know that?”

Kara’s lovely face was marred by a sneer. “He got to you first. And … I heard him telling you that heroes ruin things, that we used the Book of Destiny to remake the world. That’s all I heard, I don’t eavesdrop if I can help it.”

“You _heard_ that?” Lena asked.

“Superhearing, yeah.” At least she had the grace to blush.

“And just _why_ were you listening to my private conversation with my brother?”

“I was trying to reach you first. To tell you … this world isn’t the one we knew. The one I knew, anyway. I didn’t want him poisoning you against me.” Kara looked miserable, those blue eyes so soft and sad.

Unfortunately for her, she hadn’t listened long enough. So she believed she was speaking to a Lena who remembered them as lovers, one who had just recently been told - by her Nobel Prize winner of a brother - all about Kara’s betrayal. That was … interesting. And as long as she kept Supergirl in the dark, she could learn a great deal from this conversation. “So you wanted to poison me against him, instead,” Lena said coldly. 

Oh, the hurt look that got her! Kara shook her head. “No, Lena, I wanted to tell you the _truth_. Before he twisted all of it. He’s … in the world _I_ remember, Lex tried to kill my cousin. And he killed a lot of innocent people along the way. He ruined your family name, he tried to kill _you_ , and since the Monitor resurrected him, he’s been wreaking havoc everywhere. I had to stop him from changing history in his favor once already, and _still_ he managed to outmaneuver me and do _this_.”

Her voice broke a little, and Lena sat back. “So, tell me the truth,” she said, keeping a tight rein on her emotions. “I have to admit, Lex’s version of things … leaves some room for doubt. You wanted to talk to me, Kara. Talk.” And maybe, based on the things Kara lied about when speaking to someone she thought _didn’t_ remember every moment of their heartbreaking history, she could figure out what Kara’s angle in all of this really was.

Kara nodded, and leaned forward, reaching for Lena’s hands - then drawing back, thinking better of it. She looked so very sincere, even nervous, and Lena guarded herself against believing wholeheartedly, the way she once had. “Okay, so … I don’t know what exactly Lex told you, but a lot of it is probably true.”

That admission shocked Lena badly. She’d expected Kara to confess to some of it, but to openly _agree_ with whatever Lex had said? Lena’s chest felt tight, and all she could do was listen.

Kara looked haunted. “I really did mess up, bad. I did keep my secret from you for three whole years. I should’ve told you I was Supergirl a long time ago, and that’s honestly my biggest regret in life. But I _never_ meant to hurt you. And it was never because you’re a Luthor. As far as I’m concerned, the Luthors don’t deserve you. But when I lied …. at first I was trying to protect you. Later, I was a coward. I was afraid to lose you. I knew no matter when I told you, no matter how it came out, you’d be furious. You told me how everyone had used you, and I knew I _wasn’t_ using you, but learning the truth would make you think I was. So I let myself believe I was still protecting you, when really I was just desperate to keep you in my life somehow. Even if … it wasn’t exactly how I wanted things to be.”

Lena found herself stunned by that honesty. “How did you want things to be between us?” she asked, her voice sounding faint.

“I wanted you to know _everything_ ,” Kara said, her voice shaking. “I wanted to be able to tell you all about Krypton, and talk about quantum entanglement with you. I loved being able to just be _me_ , not the hero, when I was with you. But I had to hide parts of myself, and I _hated_ it.” Tears shone in her eyes.

Lena felt a dangerous wave of compassion, and decided to twist the knife further. This was her enemy, after all. Kara had proven that by betraying her. “So … I can’t imagine you lying to someone you loved so much. I suppose we’re not close, in your timeline?”

Kara blushed. “Um, we weren’t … we weren’t _together_. But we were close. You were my best friend. I would’ve died for you, no questions asked.”

Lena stared at her. Kara had risked her life, more than once. And she’d always saved Lena’s. “That's a very close friend indeed.”

The blonde blushed even more deeply. “About that. I think … I might be the reason why we’re dating in this world. When we were trying to remake the universe, I … I’m the Paragon of Hope. And what I was hoping for, besides Alex and our friends being okay, was that I’d have a chance to make things right with you. To show you that you could trust me, that I’d never lie to you again. A chance to show you that I do love you, I always will.”

“You love me.” The words were flat and cold to Lena’s ears. She couldn’t let herself believe that. Not when her grief and anger and revenge were the only things tethering her to her sense of self, the only things keeping her from a complete breakdown.

Kara went on as if it were a simple fact, not a meteor crashing into Lena’s entire worldview. “Yes, Lena. I’m not … I don’t know what I’m doing, with all this. I always knew I loved you. We just never really defined the _how_ of it. Maybe some subconscious stuff crept in while I was trying to hope for a world with you in it.” Her expression was painfully earnest.

Lena sat back, regarding her. Just barely holding herself together, feeling everything she thought she knew shivering like struck glass. “You realize you could've challenged Lex’s version of events. Remembering a life together, I would’ve believed you over him.”

“No,” Kara said firmly. “You deserve the truth, Lena. I’m not going to pretend I never hurt you, because I did. I screwed up in the worst way possible. I don’t want to just … wave that away. If you can ever forgive me, I need to earn it.”

That little speech went against everything Lena knew. If Kara had tried to gloss things over … but no. She continued, “J’onn can restore your memories of the original timeline. He did it for all of our friends, he can do it for you, too. I just wanted to make sure you had the chance to decide what _you_ wanted. With Lex telling you everything, I understand you might not trust J’onn messing around with your head.”

“I _really_ do not want my mind altered,” Lena said, her tone brooking no opposition.

“Okay. That’s your choice,” Kara said, looking sorrowful. And then she did take hold of Lena’s hands. The way she leaned forward to do it meant she looked up into Lena’s eyes, and that royal blue gaze was intent. Lena braced herself, knowing that a pitch of some kind was coming. She’d dealt with enough investors and conspirators to recognize the moment when someone brought up what they considered the most important part of the discussion.

Kara spoke in a low, solemn voice. “There’s one thing you absolutely have to know. Even after we all kept my secret from you, and you found out in the _worst_ possible way, even after you stole Myriad and had Rao only knows what else planned, I was _still_ right about you.”

“What do you mean?” Lena asked warily.

“I wasn’t here for this, but Alex told me. The DEO was trying to evacuate this universe, and no one could get the portal stabilized. She went to you, because you’re literally the most brilliant person we know, and you were still furious with her. But when she asked you to help save the world? You stepped up and did it.”

The Kryptonian swallowed, and tears spilled as she continued, “ _You_ were the one who got the portal fixed. And even when that was done, you were out there helping organize the crowd, getting people loaded onto the ships. You didn’t … you didn’t just board the first one and run to safety. You were here until the very end, still trying to save people. When the antimatter wave hit…” Her voice choked up, and she let go of Lena’s hands to swipe the tears away. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t _here_ , I was off trying to find the other Paragons and _stop_ the antimatter wave, and I wasn’t even here for you. I lost everything, _everything_ , all over again.”

Lena had been extremely wary of showing her own wounds. Not only would her pain make Kara guess that she remembered, she simply could not trust enough to let herself be vulnerable. And yet here was Kara, who remembered being trapped in kryptonite gas, letting Lena see her heart breaking.

Kara sniffled, and gathered up her composure. “I’m sorry. Alex told me all this, she was there. You’d told her repeatedly that just because you were helping didn’t mean you forgave her. But you still stayed until the very last second, fighting to save as many people as possible. People you didn’t know. You and Alex … you were both still here when the antimatter wave came and destroyed my Earth.” 

Lena remembered that, but the way Kara spoke brought it all back. The terror, the desperation, the frantic need to save as many as she could.

Kara’s eyes brimmed over again. “You told me once, in the timeline I remember, that Kara Danvers was your hero. And then, later, when it all went bad, you told me you weren’t a villain, and I shouldn’t have treated you like one. The thing you’ve never seen, Lena, is that you’re a hero all on your own. You don’t need powers, and it’s not even because of that _incredible_ mind of yours. You’re a hero because your first instinct is always to _help_ , to try and make things better. Even when you're hurt, even when you're angry, you still try to help everyone else. No matter _what_ happens from here on out, I need to you to know that. _You are a hero._ ”

Lena’s throat had gone so dry that she could barely swallow. If Kara had looked at her like that and said _You’re_ **_my_ ** _hero,_ she would’ve counted it as manipulation. Trying to use her own words, her own phrasing, to bring Lena back to Kara’s side. But somehow the most important thing to Kara wasn’t winning her over, it was … telling her she’d been right? That couldn’t be it. “Why are you telling me this?”

Kara gave a laugh that was more than half a sob. “Because if you could see yourself the way I see you, Lena, you’d never doubt yourself again.”

That was … not a tactical move. Not when she was speaking to someone who didn’t remember their entire history together, someone who still had a child’s love for her big brother. 

But Lena _did_ remember, and she knew one thing above all else: _Lex could not be trusted_. These people, all the ones she’d called _friends_ , they might use her, but they would at least use her for _good_. Lex … Lex was selfish, egotistical, and as Lena well knew, dangerously obsessive. She _remembered_ everything that had happened, all of Lex’s betrayals compared to Kara’s one. It had been a huge, terrible secret… 

… but Kara had still saved her, every time. Kara had stolen federal property for her. Kara had kept trying, again and again, to stop her _without hurting her_. Kara had begged her forgiveness.

Kara had told her the truth. And the one thing that mattered most to Kara, in this moment, was making sure Lena knew that _she_ had been a hero.

She must have sat still too long, her mind racing, because Kara squeezed her fingers gently. “Lena? Are you okay?” 

Lena tightened her grip on Kara’s hand, bearing down as hard as she could, trying to hold on. “Kara.”

“I know it’s a lot. I’m sorry for dropping all of this on you at once, Lena, I just…” She sounded nervous, but also conciliatory, and Lena was _done_.

“Kara, I remember,” Lena said, and as if those words had unlocked her heart, she couldn’t stop the rest of it from coming out, along with her own tears. “I remember everything. I remember Alex asking me for help, and then putting _herself_ in harm’s way to protect me. I remember her telling me to get on the ship, and not doing it, because there weren’t enough people from the DEO to keep the crowd organized and things were about to descend into chaos. I remember holding it back as long as I could, keeping people moving onto those ships, trying to save as many lives as possible. I didn’t feel like a hero, Kara, I was scared out of my mind, and when that antimatter wave swept over the city and came right for me, the last thought I can remember was just … wishing I could see you one more time.”

Kara’s breath hitched, and she was crying openly, but her mouth curved up in a tremulous smile. “Lena, I’m so sorry. For everything. When that signal cut out and I realized I’d lost you, it felt like I was dying. Knowing that we ended it like this, that I’d messed it all up and you hated me, I would’ve rather been dead.”

“But you’re not,” Lena said carefully. “And neither am I.”

Kara squeezed her hand again. “You have _no idea_ how grateful I am for that, Lena.”

“I think I do, actually,” Lena told her, and was surprised to feel herself smiling back. Hesitant, pained, but real.

The aching wound in her heart wasn’t closed that quickly … but this was better than any of the other alternatives. And some of the hurt had bled away, listening to Kara’s voice break as she’d told Lena the absolute truth.

Sniffling again, Kara wiped her tears away. And then looked at her, confused. “If you knew this whole time … why didn’t you cancel? Why did you kiss me?”

Lena managed to laugh. “Because _Lex_ wants to keep you in the dark. The plan was to let you think I believed this timeline. I think he honestly thought you’d just play along, that you’d be glad to have a world where I didn’t hate you. He doesn’t know you at all.”

“No. He doesn’t.” Kara’s voice had gone cold and forbidding, but it softened again. “You do. And that doesn’t explain why you kissed me.”

“There was a photographer watching us. If we’re going to keep up this charade, he couldn’t see us acting as if we barely know each other.” That was one explanation, and something about Kara’s honesty prompted a further admission from Lena. “Also, life doesn’t give me exactly what I want often enough for me to be able to refuse it.”

Kara went utterly still, her eyes wide. “Exactly what you want…?” 

Lena let herself smirk. “You’re not the only one to blame for all those articles about us. It wasn’t just your hope. It was what I never let myself wish for, either.”

At that, Kara blushed all over again. “Oh. _Oh_. Um … wow. Lena, I love you. That’s the only thing I’m certain of in this world. I love you.”

She couldn’t _quite_ say it back. Not so readily. Not yet. But Lena smiled, and felt the hollow place in her heart begin to heal. “Add one more to that: we can’t trust my brother. So we need to fix our makeup, and head for the restaurant. As far as Lex knows, you think I only remember this world - and you’re letting me believe that.”

“Are you sure, Lena?” Kara asked. “I can’t ask you to do this.”

“You aren’t asking. I’m doing this because I know this is the way it has to be.” Lena didn’t say, _I already chose, I killed my brother for you once before_ , because that would only upset Kara. She reached into the console and pulled out a compact, inspecting her makeup critically. “You’re going to have to trust me, though.”

“I will. I do. Always,” Kara said, and the hope shining in her gaze was enough to make Lena believe, for just one moment, that there might be a world out there somewhere where the two of them got it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the first fic I planned to write for this fandom, but it's the one that had to go up first before the next episode hits. I want to thank some amazing fanfic writers who inspired and encouraged me. If you read Supercorp at all, you probably already know [spacemanearthgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacemanearthgirl/pseuds/spacemanearthgirl), [Valkyrees](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valkyrees/pseuds/Valkyrees), and [hrwinter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hrwinter/pseuds/hrwinter), but if you don't, go give them a read! They are all lovely people as well as talented writers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to this story is simply overwhelming. I was in shock watching the hits, kudos, and comments roll in. Thank you, all of you - the Supergirl fans are an amazing group of people.
> 
> A couple of questions in the comments spawned this final addition. I still haven't seen Sunday's episode, but I'll probably have thoughts about it, too. Plus there are a couple more plotbunnies hopping around my mind that I'd let to get written and posted.

Kara managed to get herself halfway under control by the time they pulled up to Ruffio’s, but worries still nipped at her mind. “Is it even safe to talk about this?”

“Please, Kara, do give me some credit. I swept the car for bugs when I got in,” Lena told her with a slight chuckle. She was still holding herself aloof, and Kara didn’t let herself think she’d solved everything with one confession. That was another mistake she intended not to make again.

Another concern cropped up. “If Lex is watching everything we do, will he notice that we got here late?”

“If he does, he won’t suspect we were _conspiring_ ,” Lena said dryly. “Especially not after those photos get published.”

Her cheeks flushed hot all over again as they got out of the car. “He really thinks I’d keep up an act like that?”

Lena stepped out, smiled, and reached for her hand. The familiar way Lena laced their fingers together made her lightheaded, and she had to concentrate not to float along in her wake. They were seated immediately, a waiter taking their drinks order, and Lena slid over in the booth to murmur, “You already are. Kara, I know you’re a good enough actress to pull this off. You fooled me for years.”

She winced at that. “It wasn’t … Lena, I didn’t have to fool you. I was _myself_ around you. Just not all of myself. This … this is different. I don’t know if I can play this convincingly.”

“Well, LuthorCorp stock shares will drop if we suddenly break up, so I’m going to need you to figure it out,” Lena replied, raising an eyebrow. Kara dropped her gaze to the menu, knowing she was still blushing. After a pause, Lena asked, “Besides, you _did_ kiss me back. Quite well, too. I doubt you’re going to have much trouble with fake-dating.”

“The _dating_ part isn’t the problem, the _fake_ part is,” Kara muttered, still looking down and not even seeing the appetizer list she was staring at. “Lena … you’re not the only one who can’t turn down what you’ve always wanted when it’s finally right in front of you.”

A pause, and she glanced up to see Lena regarding her thoughtfully. “True, you’re bolder than I would’ve guessed. I admit, I didn’t expect _Kara Danvers_ to soul-kiss me in the middle of a public street. Whatever you were thinking in that moment, just tap into that, and we’ll look very convincing.”

Right, her face felt like it was literally on fire, and Kara remembered that kiss all too well. Lena had just stepped in and kissed her, time seemed to slow down as every daydream she’d dismissed and every fantasy she’d denied had collided in that one moment. Her lips were so soft, her perfume was so intoxicating, the warmth of her so close made Kara feel reckless and drunk and _alive_ for the first time since the Crisis began, and she’d just reacted without any consideration for where they were or what Lena remembered. “I wasn’t thinking,” she admitted. “It’s like … my mind turned off, and all I could do was … _want_.”

Lena looked at her over the menu, her eyes darkening, and then she smirked. “Be careful, Kara. You’re giving away a reckless advantage.”

“Not when it’s you,” she replied immediately.

Their drinks arrived, and Lena ordered an appetizer to buy time. Kara still hadn’t been able to parse the menu, but she quickly chose one for herself, impatient for the waiter to leave them alone.

“You really should be more careful,” Lena told her, still with that predatory gleam in her eye. “It wasn’t all _that_ long ago that I told you to your face, I wanted you to suffer. It’s just that I hate my brother more, now.”

“It’s not just that,” Kara insisted. 

“Oh, trust me, it is,” Lena said coldly. “Everything I built, every ounce of good will toward our family name and our company, he’s taken that for himself. He wiped away all of his own mistakes and stole my victories.”

“You also know he’s _incredibly_ dangerous and he only cares about himself,” Kara pointed out.

“Of course he’s dangerous. He’s a Luthor. We’re all dangerous.” And the way Lena looked at her was a challenge.

Kara leaned closer. “ _You’re_ not dangerous. The same way I’m not. Sure, we both have the _ability_ to do terrible things, but we won’t. That’s not who we are.”

“I know who I am, Kara. Do you?” Lena demanded.

“You’re _not_ like them,” Kara insisted.

Lena smiled then, and shifted even closer, as if to whisper in her ear. All of a sudden her breath was warm against Kara’s neck, and she understood that saying about feeling butterflies when you’re nervous. Only she mostly felt _light_ , as though she could drift up and away if she didn’t hold on to the table.

Then Lena _did_ whisper, her lips brushing Kara’s ear, her voice low and husky and doing things to Kara’s body without touching her that no one, _no one_ else had ever done. And yet, what she whispered was, “I _am_ a Luthor, don’t forget that. Brilliant, devious, powerful, manipulative … and _wicked_.” 

She kissed Kara’s neck on the last word, and somehow Kara’s hand was on Lena’s thigh, far enough up that she’d rucked up the dress a little, and Lena gave a startled little gasp at the touch that made Kara want to turn and kiss her and press her back into the booth and kiss her some more and… 

Kara swallowed, and said in a shaky voice, “You, um, probably don’t want to do that in public. _Rao_ , Lena, that’s not _fair_.”

Lena just smiled, placing her hand over Kara’s and sliding it closer to her knee. “Fair? You’re one to talk. But the point is, you’re not going to have any trouble pretending to be with me.”

“ _I’m not pretending,_ ” Kara snapped. “And I don’t want to do this just so Lex doesn’t get suspicious. If I kiss you, Lena, it’s going to be real. I don’t know any other way to be about you.”

For a long moment, Lena just regarded her, their hands still entwined atop Lena’s knee. At last, Lena said, “I want this to be real, but I can’t trust it. And we _can’t_ disturb this timeline’s continuity so quickly.”

Kara nodded, and decided to be reckless. Her heart was beating too fast for anything else. “So … we date, for real, while pretending to date. I mean, it’s not like this is _new_. For either of us. It’s always been there, the conversation we’ve never quite had.”

“The _other_ conversation we’ve never had,” Lena corrected. “The first one was about all your sudden absences and malapropisms and the half of your life you hid from me.”

“Well, we settled that one disastrously. Let’s try to not break each other’s hearts with this?” Kara offered. “We can have that conversation, now. We’re going to be dating, we’ll have time to talk. About everything.”

“Yes, we will,” Lena said. “ _Starting_ with uncovering evidence about my brother’s nefarious activities.”

That was certainly a safer topic, and Kara nodded agreement. 

…

Lena went by the office after dinner, instead of going home, and was unsurprised to find both Lex and Lillian there. “How was your date?” he asked, watching her shrewdly.

“Delightful,” Lena said, heading to the bar and pouring herself a little celebratory scotch. “She’ll play right into my hands. She wants so _badly_ to be absolved, and she’s so easily distracted, too.”

“Just don’t let _yourself_ get distracted,” Lex warned. 

“You’ve let your feelings put you at a disadvantage with her before,” Lillian added. “Don’t let it happen again.”

Lena just smiled, and sat down on the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table and taking a leisurely sip of her drink. “Oh, you don’t need to worry about _that_. I’m not one to forgive betrayal. No, I can do this. It’s for the greater good.”

Lex looked at her warily. “You’re in an awfully good mood for someone who complained about being in hell this morning.”

She thought about all the ways she could answer that, and settled for a smile that would’ve made Kara Danvers blush. “Well, bringing a superhero to her knees _does_ tend to do something for the Luthor ego, doesn’t it?”

Lillian pursed her lips with distaste, and Lex scowled. “Have your fun, Lena. Just keep your mind on the goal.”

“Always. I know exactly how to bring her down, any time I want. And in the mean time, I can enjoy making her suffer. The guilt must be terrible - but then, neither of you know anything about guilt.” Just enough of that was true to really sell it. Lena _did_ know how to hurt Kara, now, and at least part of her still wanted to extract some revenge for all the lies.

Most of her was content for that revenge to be in the form of utterly flustering Kara every time she took her hand.

Lex and Lillian glanced at one another, and all Lena saw in their look was calculation. None of the warmth or concern she saw in Kara’s eyes. Hell, none of the warmth and concern she saw in _Alex’s_ eyes, and the elder Danvers didn’t even like her very much.

She didn’t need either of them. She would work with them, for now, knowing that both would betray her if they could - but Lena could use them the same way they’d used her. There were threats enough in the world that their talents were useful. And they would think that either she wanted their approval so much, she’d go along - or that she hated Supergirl enough to make common cause.

Bringing them down and putting this company back in the only hands who actually _cared_ about it was going to be a triumph.

In the meantime, Lena decided to take Lillian’s advice, and have some _fun_.

“Do we still have those blue diamonds in the safe deposit box in Metropolis?” Lena asked. That had been one of Lionel’s investments, a particularly valuable set of loose diamonds he’d purchased one day, solely because Lena found the largest of them especially pretty. She’d been too young to wear diamonds, yet old enough to understand they were far too valuable to go anywhere but in a safe, and Lionel had promised to have them made into jewelry for her when she was older. He’d never had the chance, and she had never made plans for them herself.

“I haven’t checked, but I assume so,” Lillian replied, frowning a little. “Why does that concern you now?”

Lena smiled, and took another sip of her scotch. “I think it’s time to do my part for our public image, and design some jewelry. Announcing the engagement of National City’s favorite power couple would be the perfect publicity boost, don’t you think?”

Lena knew perfectly well that the coming weeks or months would be trying, that being essentially a double agent would be harder than even the last three years of nonstop work, but savoring the memory of Lillian’s horrified expression and Lex choking on his drink would get her through it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, I keep saying I'm done with this fic, and everyone keeps giving me so much encouragement and inspiration that I end up writing more. You are all fanfic enablers, every one of you.
> 
> That said, I have a narrative arc in mind now, and it's going to have a happy ending in chapter 5. Then I'll be able to post one of the other plotbunnies I have for this lovely fandom.

_Three weeks later…_

Kara got out of Lena’s car at CatCo, but quickly ducked away when her phone went off. She found a deserted alley, pulled a quick change, and rocketed off to the DEO.

Everyone was in one of the conference rooms, and as Kara walked in, Alex looked up … then her expression turned pained. Brainy, Nia, and J’onn all gave her the same look, and Kara halted, staring back at them. “What is it? What’s wrong? Did something happen I don’t know about?”

Brainy and J’onn shook their heads, looking disappointed, and Nia bit her lip like she was trying not to laugh. Alex just rolled her eyes with a long-suffering sigh. “ _Kara_. Where were you ten minutes ago?”

“In a _car_. Lena had some information about what Lex is doing with Non Nocere,” she replied defensively.

“Is that what you were talking about?” Alex asked, crossing her arms and looking like the very definition of overprotective older sibling.

“ _Yes,_ ” Kara shot back, defensive. Being in the new super-suit gave her confidence, and she mirrored Alex’s posture, daring her to cast doubt on Lena.

Instead, Alex just stared at her for a moment. “Then how about you wipe her damn lipstick off your face, and we’ll discuss what Brainy found out today.”

Nia snickered a little at that, Brainy and J’onn were still not making eye contact, and Kara felt her cheeks burn as she touched her mouth. Her fingertips came away smeared bold red, the same shade Lena had worn today, and she flushed to realize what they all thought.

“Lex has to think I’m letting her believe the new timeline,” Kara said mumbled, embarrassed. Between Lena’s tech and her own experience spotting listening devices, they knew this room was safe.

“Trust me, you’re _very_ convincing,” Alex said heavily. “Also you missed a spot on your neck.”

“Alex!” Kara yipped, rubbing at her neck and blushing deeper. “Okay, yeah, we were kissing. We do have to keep up appearances. _But_ the whole point of getting in the car was to talk about Lex.”

The look Alex gave her made Kara feel about an inch tall, but then she sighed. “Kara, I love you. I can’t be mad at you for more than a minute or so. I just … _please_ be careful. Lena’s got a lot to lose, either way.”

“I _am_ careful,” Kara said, and knew it was a lie. She’d thrown her whole heart and soul into this with Lena, and it was frankly the most alive she’d felt - the _happiest_ she’d felt - in as long as she could remember.

Meanwhile, Nia looked over at Brainy and whispered, “Should we tell Lena they make non-transferring lipstick?”

He furrowed his brow. “She is surely aware of the extent of the cosmetic industry’s advances. This is more likely a deliberate choice. Lena does very few things without intention.”

“What’s the intention, then?” Alex said, looking over at them.

Brainy hesitated, catching Kara’s gaze, and then offered, “Some … possessive display, perhaps?”

“Great. She can’t leave hickeys on a Kryptonian, so she finds another way to mark up my baby sister,” Alex sighed. “Fine. Kara, start carrying a mirror or something, we don’t need you flying around all smudged up. People will think Lena’s cheating on Kara Danvers with Supergirl. Now let’s focus, people. We’ve got to catch Lex at his own game.”

…

Settling back into her office, Lena reflected that this Earth had its advantages. Chief operating officer was, in many ways, better suited to Lena than her previous role. It had all the technical parts of being a CEO that she’d enjoyed, and a lot less schmoozing with wealthy investors. She found she could leave that to Lex, gladly - and in a world where the company name wasn’t synonymous with rabid xenophobia, neither of them had to waste time fighting for scraps of public goodwill.

She could still do the parts of PR that she’d loved, donating to the planetarium and upgrading the surgical suites in the children’s hospital. It was good to know that this time, she did those things solely out of genuine altruism, not just trying to save her company as a few skeptics had suggested. All in all, Lena found the situation more tolerable than she would’ve expected.

If only Lex had actually been the brilliant philanthropist he pretended to be. It would’ve been dangerously easy to let herself think he was starting fresh, trying to change for the better. Lena knew a thing or two about choosing the darkest path because that was the one people kept assuming you were on; she could sympathize with deciding to become a villain after you’d already been branded one. She’d very nearly done so herself.

But Lex wasn’t bothered by considerations like right and wrong. He didn’t really care about individual innocent lives, either. Somehow he’d gotten hold of her plans for Non Nocere, and immediately co-opted them, even as Lena herself shuddered to realize how badly her work could be twisted despite her good intentions. Lex had his goals, and everything else was collateral damage. Regrettable, but unavoidable, and ultimately of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. Lena found herself despising his cavalier attitude. 

As if thinking of him had summoned him, Lex stormed into her office only minutes after she got in. Lena didn’t bother to speak, just arched a brow at him, and he stalked up to her desk, scowling, to slap a printed article from one of the gossip sites down in front of her.

Lena had seen the article already, thanks to alerts on the _karlena_ hashtag, and laughed at it. She and Kara needed a secure place to talk, so they’d gotten into the hired car and told the driver to circle the city until they told him otherwise. Lena had two different portable devices to detect bugs, and consistently removed them from the car even when riding alone; she’d also taught Kara how to find some of them with super-senses. So the car was as safe as possible, safer than either of their apartments even, since it was a much smaller space to search, and mobile besides.

They’d compared notes and made plans, stopping to pick up takeout along the way, and finally returned to their respective offices. The article had caught a photo of Kara getting _in_ the car, Lena’s hand reaching out to her in a decidedly romantic-looking manner, and someone must have been paid to lurk around LuthorCorp until they got back, because there was an accompanying snapshot of Lena stepping _out_ of the car later, her hair looking thoroughly tousled. 

The purpose of the trip was to talk, but being alone with Kara and _free_ of all the double-dealing and deception had some predictable effects on Lena’s state of mind. She was still taking her revenge, a kiss at a time, savoring the way she could completely shut down Kara’s train of thought with a look or a smile or the simplest of touches.

Lena looked at the article, then up at Lex, raising her eyebrows. He _glared_ at her, and snapped, “You took a two-hour lunch break to just … ride around the city? Two _hours_? And then you sent the car off to be _steam-cleaned_?”

The disgust in his voice made Lena want to laugh. As she’d told Kara, he believed more easily in the fiction that she was being a complete sexual deviant for revenge purposes, rather than thinking they were conspiring against him. “Lex, you use the car too. It just seemed polite to have it cleaned.”

He sat down with an aggrieved sigh. “Lena, you’re having far too much fun with this.”

“And you’re not? Mr. Nobel Prize Winner?” Lena challenged. 

“Point,” he admitted. “But you see why this worries me. Mom was right, you’ve been misled by her before. And you do keep removing the recording devices from the car.”

Lena gave a self-mocking laugh. “I was misled when I thought she was the only person on this planet who was actually _genuine_. I’ve learned my lesson on that score, I promise you.” She leaned forward then, speaking in the kind of warm confidence that had once been real. “As for the bugs … _Lex_. You’re my _brother_. There are things you don’t need to know about me.”

He had the grace to wince at that, at least, and Lena counted it a personal victory. “Mom’s horrified, you know. She didn’t approve even in _this_ timeline. Now I’m having to hear speeches about how if you marry the alien, she’s going to kill her.”

Lena shrugged, ignoring the cold chill down her spine. “She was going to kill Supergirl anyway. So it’s personal now. Just make sure she gives me the chance to prove I was in on it. I don’t want Kara going to her grave thinking this was _real_.”

At that, Lex smiled. “So _vindictive_. You really are a credit to the Luthor name, Lena.”

She smiled, and they laughed as if they were sharing a joke, but Lena thought to herself, _The Luthor name wishes it was a credit to_ **_me_** _._

Besides, when the time came, she intended to teach him a new definition of _vindictive_.

…

Kara got home to find Lena walking up to her apartment building. Anxiety and excitement warred in her; they usually met at Lena’s, and only came _here_ for game night. Since the Crisis, Kara had never been alone in her apartment with Lena. It seemed too _much_ , somehow, and Lena liked meeting on her terms anyway.

“Perfect timing, darling,” Lena said, with a wicked smile.

Every single time she gave Kara that look, it made her heart beat faster. Of course, after dating for a month, Kara knew exactly how to make Lena’s heart race, too. The problem was, so far Lena had always been the one to up the ante, leaving Kara breathless and flustered and blushing furiously. There was a line Kara wouldn’t cross, not until they were both doing this for _real_ , without the stain of having put up a smokescreen for Lex.

“You missed me?” Kara said, reaching out her hand. She was more comfortable turning things from sultry to sweet - and strangely enough, it was tenderness that made Lena blush. The affection just felt natural to Kara, like the logical progression of the friendship they’d had before.

“Always,” Lena replied, taking Kara’s hand and lacing their fingers together. 

They crossed the lobby hand in hand, heading for the elevator, and once inside Kara leaned in close to kiss Lena’s cheek. “Brainy might have found us a good lead,” she whispered. There had been a camera in the elevator for years, part of the building’s security, and it was possible that Lex could hack it, so she was careful to keep her voice soft and hide the information.

“Is that so, darling?” Lena murmured, pulling back and cupping her cheek. “I might have a few thoughts to share with you, too.”

Which Kara _knew_ meant she had news about Lex’s plans, but the way her thumb stroked over Kara’s cheekbone made it hard to concentrate on that. Kara bit her lip, which would at least look natural.

Except it made Lena’s gaze drop to her mouth, and the brunette scolded gently, “Stop that - I told you, it’s _my_ job.”

Before Kara could protest, Lena was kissing her, nipping playfully at her lip, and Kara wrapped her arms around Lena’s waist. As always, her skin felt hot and her mind went hazy.

She tried to hold on to her train of thought anyway. “Lena, there’s … _mmph_ … there’s security cameras…” 

“Oh, are there?” Lena whispered against her mouth, reaching up to pull Kara’s hair down. “Let’s give them a show, then, shall we?”

That was how they ended up practically falling out of the elevator when it reached Kara’s floor. By then, Kara had stopped caring about Lex, or sharing Brainy’s news, or even scandalizing the poor security team. All she cared about was Lena, her eager mouth, her wandering hands, the pale expanse of her throat and how she gasped when Kara kissed her there. “No marks,” Lena hissed, as Kara’s teeth scraped over her skin.

“Thought you wanted to give them a show,” Kara retorted, in Supergirl’s more demanding tones, and Lena made a sound in the back of her throat that lit up Kara’s whole body like the fourth of July.

She could barely get her keys out to unlock the door, Lena crowding her through and kicking it shut behind them. This was _exactly_ why they’d never come here together; on her own turf, Kara didn’t have the hesitation to keep it to just kissing, her hands on Lena’s waist sliding up under her blouse.

Lena grabbed her glasses and flung them indifferently aside, raking her hand into Kara’s hair. “ _Fuck_ yes, touch me,” she breathed, and forget about lines that shouldn’t be crossed, forget about everything else, they both knew the _real_ reason they were doing this and it had nothing to do with anything or anyone except each other. 

Kara dropped her hands to Lena’s hips and picked her up easily, pinning her against the wall. Lena made a startled noise that Kara stole from her lips, but those lovely legs wrapped around her back, and one of her heels clattered to the floor. Kara shifted her grip, holding Lena by the backs of her thighs, and reveled in the breathy moan that earned her. She nuzzled Lena’s neck, kissing down to her collarbones, and didn’t think any further ahead than maybe unbuttoning that blouse and finding out what Lena wore beneath it.

Behind them, someone cleared their throat.

Kara spun around, her eyes flaring red, and luckily stayed close enough that Lena didn’t hit the ground. She still yelped, grabbing Kara’s shoulders for balance, and that gave her just enough pause to keep from lasering a hole in the opposite wall.

Which was just as well, because the intruder giving them a snarky grin was Kate Kane, standing in the living room in her usual leather jacket and jeans. She’d left the Batwoman gear aside for this trip, apparently. As Kara relaxed down from her instinctive reaction to protect Lena, she said, “Oh, hi, Kate.” Trying to sound casual, as if they weren’t totally busted. Kara reached to adjust the glasses that weren’t on her face, and somehow _that_ was what made her blush.

“Hi, Kara,” Kate said, smirking.

“Excuse me, but who are you, and just what are you doing here?” Lena sounded every inch the intimidating CEO, stepping out from behind Kara and _glaring_ at Kate. Kara was shocked to see the venom in that green gaze; what did Lena have against Kate?

Before she could speak, Kate stepped forward, offering her hand, her eyes still full of laughter. “Kate Kane, nice to meet you,” she said, in formal enough tones that Lena’s upbringing had her shaking the offered hand despite her irritation. And then Kate held on a second longer than was necessary, raising an eyebrow at Lena. “So _you’re_ the corporate billionaire with five hundred fewer tattoos, huh? Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena cut her eyes at Kara, who glanced between them, confused. “Kara, _darling_ , how exactly do you know Ms. Kane?” she asked, her voice brittle.

“Uh, well,” Kara said, blushing as she realized this was yet another secret she’d have to keep. It wasn’t hers to tell.

Kate laughed. “You know how it is, we met on business,” she said. “Look, Kara, I know you’re busy, but could I have a word? Privately?”

“I think not,” Lena said, leaning against Kara’s side. “How did you even get in here? I wasn’t aware that anyone other than her sister had a key.”

“Oh, I don’t need keys,” Kate said breezily. 

Lena crossed her arms and looked at her in utter disbelief; Kate looked right back at her with mirth dancing in her gaze and that same snarky smile curving her mouth. “Hold on,” Kara said, putting her hands out as if trying to stop a taxi. “What, exactly, is going on here?”

Lena’s eyes narrowed, but Kate laughed. “Your girlfriend’s getting real jealous because there’s another good-looking lesbian in your apartment, Kara. And I’m messing with her, because you two are ridiculous. Nice to see you’re finally sorting things out, though.”

Kara’s jaw dropped, and Lena looked like she had a thousand things she wanted to say and couldn’t decide where to start. What she finally said was, “ _Another?_ ”

Kate scoffed. “High femme doesn’t fool me, gorgeous, my gaydar’s better than that. Look, you two can get back to making out in a few minutes, I just need to hand this off.” She held up a flash drive, looking at Kara.

“ _Excuse_ you,” Lena snapped, bristling. “Who do you think you are, to make assumptions like that?”

“Oh, shit, are you two still doing this?” Kate said, looking dismayed. “Come _on_. If I hadn’t been here, you would’ve been fucking up against the wall by now. Tell me you’re not both still in denial.”

“Kate! We weren’t … we wouldn’t…” Kara said, blushing fiercely. “Look, we _have_ to keep up appearances in this timeline…”

Lena was blushing too, but she looked more furious than anything else. “So she knows about the Crisis, too? Kara, who is she, _really_?”

“Huh-uh, nope, Kara might trust you with everything, but my secrets aren’t hers to hand out,” Kate said. “Cool it, Luthor.”

“ _Don’t call her that._ ” Kara was surprised by the fury in that growling voice, and even more surprised to realize it had come from her.

Kate raised an eyebrow, looking at her. “Okay, then. You _do_ know it’s her name, right?”

“She’s not just another Luthor,” Kara insisted. “And I’m not keeping any secrets from Lena.”

Kate raised her hands in a placating gesture. “All right, that’s fair. So, Lena, I met Kara when I bailed her and a couple other heroes out of jail in Gotham. I’ve got a vested interest in making sure people like her stay in the fight, okay? I’m sure you can identify with wanting to use our money and influence for good.”

That was … incredibly adroit, Kara thought, being true and plausible without giving away that she was Batwoman. 

Lena eyed her warily, but seemed mollified for the moment. “Fine. I suppose I’m not meant to ask what information is on that drive, or how you got it?”

“Depends on how much you know about your brother’s business dealings in my town,” Kate said with a shrug. “Might be redundant, considering you’re on our side. Or it might just provide a plausible way to _get_ that information, without it coming from you.”

Kara took the drive from her carefully. “Thanks, Kate. I didn’t even know you were in town.”

“Officially, I’m not,” she said with a shrug. “Just figured I’d make a quick trip to drop that off in person. Not exactly something I trust to email, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Kara said. “Seriously, though, thank you.”

Kate smirked at her, and clasped Kara’s shoulder affectionately. “You’re welcome. I’ll let you two lovebirds get back to _keeping up appearances_. Funny how there’s no one else around to see it.”

Lena gave her an imperious look, while Kara just blushed, and Kate chuckled and saw herself out. Kara took a deep breath, and let it out. “Yeah. So that was, uh, really awkward.”

“You had something you wanted to tell me?” Lena said, reaching into her jacket pocket for one of the portable scanners.

Kara took a moment to check around for listening devices, and found none. At least now they could compare notes. And studiously _not_ talk about that moment by the door.

Kara found herself wishing they hadn’t been interrupted, and glad they were, at the same time. She wanted to wait until they were safe, until Lex and Lillian were both behind bars and she could speak to Lena without worrying who was listening. Only then would she be able to trust that everything between them was real.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swore up and down I would only let this go to 5 chapters. Then Kate demanded the opportunity to play gay guide for both of our useless lesbians, and I let her. It ran over 4k, and thematically it's different from what comes after, so I decided to split it into its own chapter.
> 
> Chapter six is going to be the real final chapter. I don't care if it ends up being 10k words, next chapter will be the for-real last one.

The headline would read, _Lena Luthor Spotted in Gotham_ , and she had legitimate business reasons to be there, but if any journalist knew her _real_ motivation for visiting the city, or her primary destination, there would certainly be much more intense public interest.

Even so, Lena was good enough at subterfuge to slip into one of Gotham’s newest clubs without being remarked on. She made her way to the bar, and ordered a scotch on the rocks from the blonde bartender. When the drink came, Lena leaned in and asked, “Does the owner often visit? I imagine she’d like to keep a close eye on a new venture.”

“She’s here now,” the young woman said warily.

Lena nodded. “Would you let her know an acquaintance dropped in to visit? If she has a moment.”

“Your name?” the blonde asked.

Lena left only her first, and found herself a booth away from most of the foot traffic. She glanced over the crowd, noticing that the place seemed to cater to the young and ostentatiously out. None of that surprised her, given the owner.

Who slid into the booth right across from her only moments later, smiling with devilish amusement and carrying a freshly-opened beer. “The lovely Lena Luthor, in the flesh,” Kate Kane said, putting her elbows on the table. She looked Lena up and down, smiling at the Versace dress for some reason. “The very tempting flesh, at that. You know, if you wanted to talk to me again, you could’ve just called. Kara’s got my number.”

Lena had been taught restraint from a painfully early age, but just those handful of words made her feel as though smoke was coiling up from her nostrils. Kate apparently had a knack for getting under everyone’s skin. “Kara’s the reason I decided to drop by, in person and off the record,” Lena murmured. 

“I see. Come to tell me to step off your girl?” Kate taunted. “That’s funny, I don’t see a ring on her finger.”

She leaned across the table, fixing Kate with her best corporate glare. “Oh, please. As if I’d be threatened by _you_. I’m here because you know too much about her.”

“And that drives you nuts, doesn’t it?” Kate replied, one corner of her mouth going up in a smirk. “If it’s any consolation, I know too much about _you_ , too.”

“I highly doubt that,” Lena told her frostily.

Kate took a sip of her beer, her tongue chasing a drop of amber liquid from the lip of it. It was momentarily distracting, but Lena had a purpose here.

Then she spoke, and derailed Lena’s train of thought entirely. “Mm, I bet otherwise. You got caught in boarding school, didn’t you? Mommy must’ve had a _fit_. People of _your_ class don’t do such things. The Luthors have yea money - did they get the other girl expelled?”

Lena sat back, shock written all over her expression. The blood had drained from Lena’s face as Kate spoke, and now came slamming back, her cheeks flushed with anger and old shame. “Who in the _hell_ did you talk to?” she snapped, already thinking of slander lawsuits. That whole ugly business had long since been covered up and paid off, and Lena herself had helped fund the other girl’s career by way of atonement. Anonymously, of course, and by means not even Lillian could track.

Kate’s smile became something more genuine, and more sad. “I didn’t need to. Damn, Lena, did you think you were the only one? It’s what rich upper-crust parents _do_ to their embarrassingly-gay kids.”

Lena narrowed her eyes. “You really do assume a lot. Just because this world thinks a version of me is dating Kara Danvers, doesn’t mean I actually feel that way about her, or any woman.”

“I speak from personal experience. Mine was a senator’s daughter. My parents weren’t that bad about it, but hers were. Political influence trumps money; I was the one who had to change schools.” Kate sipped her beer, looking at Lena steadily. “And then I got caught again, later on, and got kicked out of the Academy. That’s when I stopped living by other people’s rules. You should try it.”

Lena just arched a brow at her. Kate gave her a lazy smile in return. “Let me guess, you never did. You got smacked down once and toed the line forever after; you pretended to be what they wanted you to be. You dated the boys that were _appropriate_ to your social station, and maybe you convinced yourself you liked them. Hell, _I_ like men, they’re good to have around. Easier to get along with than women, sometimes. But I figured out real quick that I don’t wanna fuck them. And why the hell should I fake it?”

Laughing through lips that had gone numb with surprise, Lena said, “Every time I think you’ve reached the pinnacle of arrogance, you come up with another insane assumption. Frankly, it’s getting rude.”

Kate leaned toward her, that cocky grin back in evidence. “You wanna hear a rude assumption? Straight women bitch about mediocre sex all the time. Did you think it was normal not to feel anything much, despite their best efforts? Did you convince yourself that’s normal, that it’s the best you’ll ever get? And if you did, how are you reconciling all those lies with the way Kara makes you feel, _keeping up appearances_?”

That hit uncomfortably close to home; the entire conversation was uncomfortable, Kate boring in with pinpoint accuracy on things Lena had deliberately chosen not to examine. “You’re right, that _is_ rude. And completely inappropriate, given how little we know of each other.”

“I know enough, listening to Kara,” Kate said lightly. “Besides, there’s studies. The group of women who rate their sexual satisfaction highest was lesbians and bisexuals in a relationship with a woman. The dykes have the skills.”

“Oh, is that where you’re going with this?” Lena challenged. “Bragging about your supposed skills? Very classy.”

“I’d say ‘Come upstairs and I’ll show you it’s not just bragging,’ but that would be a bad idea,” Kate shot back. She smirked again, insolent as ever. “I mean, you _are_ a knockout, an absolute eleven if such a thing ever existed, and I wasn’t really prepared for the reality to match all the hype. Plus we have some things in common, it’d be nice to talk about stuff like how damn _isolating_ wealth can be, and how quickly you learn that money really _can’t_ buy happiness. But I have plenty of my own issues, and I can’t really handle the high maintenance thing.”

“High maintenance,” Lena said coldly, thinking that she’d never allowed herself to be _high maintenance_ , that in all of her love affairs she’d tried so hard to fit herself in somewhere, anywhere, she could belong. She’d always been too pathetically eager to scrunch herself down into any label that would fit.

Even ‘best friend’.

Kate looked at her as if all of that was written in her eyes, and said, “Besides, if I so much as looked wrong at you, Kara would just fling me across the ocean like a skipping stone. Must be nice, having someone like that in your corner. She’s just made of sunshine, isn’t she? Makes you feel like you’re getting a tan just looking at her. Shockingly oblivious, for someone with so many super-senses, but that’s part of her charm, too.”

“I might wonder how you managed to know Kara so well on so little acquaintance,” Lena said quietly, “if I didn’t already know just how much she’s kept from me.”

“You should ask how she knows how many tattoos I have.” There it was again, the taunting knife-edge grin, but Lena had fought enough battles to know a feint when she saw one.

Lena sipped her scotch with a smile. “X-ray vision, checking for weapons, I assume. Kara does take her safety seriously, and you don’t exactly seem trustworthy.”

Kate nodded, surprisingly. “She does. But when she gives her trust, she gives it absolutely. You’d know, wouldn’t you? She’s always backing you up, always protecting you. Always ready to forgive you anything and blame herself instead. No matter _what_ you do, she’ll be right there, ready to accept whatever explanation you come up with. And forgive, no matter what.”

Over the years, Lena had accumulated a _lot_ of little boxes of emotion. Some of them were small, foolish things, long since gone quiescent. Childhood hurts, adolescent angst. The thing that all of those boxes had in common was simple: they were survival mechanisms. 

Don’t weep for your lost teddy, little girl. Lillian Luthor doesn’t like tears, and Lillian has to love you. You have to _make_ her love you, or else you have no place here, no home, no family. She loves intelligence, strength, determination, so become those things. Live them so hard that everyone else sees only that image, and cut off any of the parts that don’t fit the picture. 

Do that for everything that doesn’t fit. Her image, Lex’s image, the image of a perfect L-Corp CEO. Slice it away, stuff it in a box somewhere, smile past the pain. The bleeding always stops, eventually. Lena had done it so long she’d made an art form of it, and then Kara Danvers had come into her life and seen right through her to all those dusty, forgotten boxes, and had the sheer _audacity_ to believe there was anything in them worth keeping. Just now Kate Kane had taken one down off the shelf and sliced it open neatly, upending it between them as if wasn’t a piece of Lena’s beating heart.

There was one big box among all the little ones, and it was nearly bursting at the seams, rocking back and forth like something alive and angry was trapped inside it. Lena promised herself it would be the last box, the last time, that this would pay for all, and if she could only hold out a little longer - until she had all the information needed about Lex’s plans - she could finally let go. Kara was the only thing that could soothe the contents of that box. When she had Kara’s arms around her and Kara’s hair tangled in her hands and Kara’s mouth on her skin, _everything_ inside Lena went quiet, subsumed by a vast, singing satisfaction that she told herself was revenge, or simply lust.

She looked at Kate with calm, glassy eyes, keeping silent as things she feared to name raged inside her. A Luthor wouldn’t rise to the bait so easily. Kate nodded, and polished off the beer. “Good talk,” she said, sliding out of the booth.

And then she stopped, hovering over Lena, and she’d had enough assassination attempts to recognize a threat even when it was unspoken. “She believes in you. Don’t waste that, or someone else might just come along and take it right out from under you. You want advice, Ms. Luthor? Figure out what you want, and _go for it_.” Kate leaned down, and added close to Lena’s ear, “But if you hurt that girl, I promise you this. I’ll make damn sure you regret it.”

The sheer audacity - of offering _that_ advice, and making _that_ threat - snapped Lena’s restraint. She turned her head, close enough that anyone else might think it was a kiss, and spoke with controlled venom. “I suppose it takes a Paragon of Courage to be so foolhardy. Don’t _ever_ threaten me again.”

Kate straightened up, regarding her at first with surprise, and then with a certain bitter respect. She leaned in close again, keeping anyone else from hearing a word. “All right. If you know that, then you should know this: for you it was a moment. A nightmare coming your way, darkness, and then you woke up _here_. For us, it was _months_. Stranded together, trying desperately to find a way to undo what had been done, going half-crazy. And putting up with your psychotic self-aggrandizing brother the whole time, too, which really, the nicest guy I know even called him a douchebag, and that’s _saying_ something. You think you’ve lost a lot? You think you’ve been hurt? Kara’s lost her family, her friends, her whole _world_. **_Twice._** All she did, that whole time, was try to keep all of _our_ spirits up even when she was just as broken. All she does is think about everyone but herself. Mostly, these days, _you_.”

She stepped back, and her face was a mask, the same jaunty arrogance as ever. “Try not to fuck it up,” Kate called cheerfully, and walked away without a backward glance.

Lena knocked back the last of her scotch, irritated with herself for having shown her hand so soon. And that was _all_ she could afford to let herself think about.

…

A month and a half into the new timeline on Earth Prime, Kara found herself desperately in need of a break. She couldn’t quite justify a _vacation_ , but a quick trip to Gotham put some variety in her evenings - and let her talk with a friend, afterward.

Kate had changed back into plainclothes, and it was mildly disturbing to see her sitting on the edge of the parapet, dangling her legs over the steep drop. Kara sat down beside her, still in uniform since she hadn’t brought a change of clothes, and waved off the beer Kate offered her. “How’s the real estate business?” she asked.

“Booming. The new bar is doing great. Driving that prick who owns the restaurant across the street crazy, but hey, that’s why I did it.” Kate grinned, and sipped her own beer. “How’s the extranormal business?”

Kara rolled her eyes. “ _Ugh_. Every time that stupid ad plays, I want to punch whatever screen is showing it. I _hate_ that.”

Kate shrugged. “At least you’re getting a salary. The Luthors are rich, they ought to pay well.”

“I wanted to serve the public, not whoever signs my paycheck,” Kara grumbled. “Also, you’re one to talk about being _rich_. I was fine on a reporter’s salary.”

“Thanks for that article, by the way,” Kate said. “It’s certainly cut down on some inappropriate comments from men. Of course, now I get the occasional inappropriate comment from a woman, but they’re generally classier about it.”

“Yeah, well, I bet it helps a bunch of kids, too,” Kara said. “Representation matters. People should know that when it comes to being a hero, it’s what’s in your heart that matters. Anybody can grow up to be a hero.”

“Or a CEO,” Kate said, smirking a little.

Kara sighed. “ _Kate_.”

She turned with casual grace, sitting with one foot propped up on the parapet, still letting her other leg dangle. “ _Kara_. Okay, let’s get real for a minute. Have you and Lena talked at _all_ about this whole thing you’ve got going on?”

“No,” Kara said, feeling her cheeks flush. 

“Have you had sex yet?”

“ _No!_ Kate, _seriously_.” Her whole face was hot, and Kara kept her gaze fixed out over the city, not wanting to meet Kate’s sardonic gaze.

“Why not?” _That_ made her look around, scandalized, and Kate grinned wickedly. “Never been with a woman, huh? I can give you some tips. Or a demonstration, if you’d like.”

“ _Kate_. Are you seriously hitting on me right now?” Kara hated the squeak in her voice, but she had _not_ expected this.

“Have been since we met, but nice of you to finally notice,” Kate replied in deadpan tones. Kara’s expression must have shown her surprise, because Kate waved a hand at her lightly. “Relax, Kara. I’m not that serious about it. I know you’re way hung up on Lena, anyway.”

Trying to dodge _that_ topic, Kara muttered, “You weren’t really hitting on me when we met. You were just trying to fluster me.”

“It worked,” Kate pointed out. “Besides, usually girls who ask about my ink wanna see all of it. Of course, most of them don’t have x-ray vision to check out the rest right through my suit.”

It was phrased playfully, a lilt in Kate’s voice and a smirk on her lips. Kara discovered she could blush even more. “I didn’t actually … I mean I saw a couple, but I wasn’t … that’s not how I use my powers.”

Kate laughed. “No offense taken, Supergirl. See, if I had x-ray vision? I’d get in a _lot_ of trouble with that.”

“You would,” Kara replied with a rueful smile. Kate was a natural flirt, she’d tease shamelessly.

Taking another sip of her beer, Kate looked out over the city lights. “Real talk, though. I’ve got complications of my own. It’s hard to find someone when you have to lie about who you are.”

“Oh yeah,” Kara said, nodding as she looked back over her own history. The revelation of her Super side always changed relationships. People couldn’t help seeing her differently.

“Unless they already know,” Kate mused, her gaze far away. She snapped back to the present, shaking her head. “Doesn’t matter, she’s got her own life to figure out. And there’s her husband, too.”

Kara couldn’t help her surprised expression. “Kate, are you seeing someone who’s _married_?”

“I’m not seeing her. I keep telling her to walk away, but she keeps coming back and _caring_ about me,” Kate said, a note of old hurt creeping in with the complaint. “Look, I was with her for _three years_. And then we got outed.” 

Her eyes were shadowed now, a spark of anger shining in them, and Kara leaned toward her, listening.

“Me, I figured there’s only two ways you can go through life. You can be yourself, or you can lie about it. Once I knew who I was, I couldn’t lie anymore. So I got kicked out of Point Rock, and I went my own way, and I don’t have to grovel for _anyone_. She … couldn’t. She signed on the dotted line and lied to everyone, including herself. I think for a while she actually believed her own story; she’s not the kind of woman who’d string a man along just for cover. Maybe she even believed she was in love with him.” Kate went to take another pull off her beer, and found it empty.

Kara picked up the bottle Kate had offered her earlier, blew a quick burst of frost-breath on it to chill it back down, and pulled the cap off. Handing it over, she said softly, “But you’re still in love with her.”

“I don’t know about _love_ ,” Kate deflected, taking the beer. “She’s still acting like there’s something there between us. I don’t wanna break up her marriage. And I don’t want her mixed up in all this shit with me. People try to kill Batwoman all the time. It’s better for everyone if I’m alone.”

“They do the same thing to Supergirl,” Kara pointed out. “And then they get mad when we try to keep them safe by keeping them away.”

“Yeah, well, yours is a Luthor. She was stuck in the middle of it from the beginning. She’s got death threats of her own, too.” Kate looked at her shrewdly. “Also, I thought mine was so deep in the closet she’d decided to live there. _You’re_ so far back in there, you’ve found _Narnia_. Say hi to the talking lion for me.”

“Kate!” Kara exclaimed, flushing again. She recognized belatedly that they’d had a moment of too much emotional intimacy, and Kate reacted by flipping the topic back to her. It didn’t fluster her any less. “Come on, Kate, we were talking about you.”

“My life’s a mess. _I’m_ a mess. But at least I know who I am and what I want,” Kate replied. “Can you say that? Or are you still trying to pretend you’re not absolutely thirsting over Lena Luthor?”

“I’m…” Kara trailed off with a sigh, looking away. She had no idea how lost she looked in that moment, or how lovely.

Kate had been sitting at a reasonable conversational distance; she moved closer, and reached out to catch Kara’s chin, turning her face toward her. “You’re gorgeous, is what you are,” Kate said in a low voice. She sounded sincere for once, like it wasn’t a line. “You know that, right? Drop-dead, knockout, blonde and blue and biceps that kill me, _gorgeous_.”

Kara could only blink at her. Other people had told her similar things before, and she’d been on the receiving end of some very intense looks, but Kate was … something else entirely. Probably because she _knew_. Not just who Kara was, but what it was like, trying to balance what _she_ wanted against what the world _needed_. Trying to live as two people. It would be so easy to just lean in, and let Kate help her forget everything confusing and stressful in her life.

As nice as that might be, the sentiment wasn’t one she could return. Taking her hand, Kara squeezed her fingers gently and said, “You’re beautiful, too.”

Kate shook her head with a little laugh. “Nah. Striking, yes. Hot, definitely. Beautiful? Not quite.”

“Kate. I see you for who you are.” Kara said it quietly, looking into her eyes, and Kate went still for a long moment.

Then she leaned back, leaving her hand in Kara’s lightly, as if they did this all the time. “I’m trying to flirt here, and you have to go and be all _sincere_ about it. You _must_ be in love with Lena, otherwise we’d already be making out on my couch by now.”

Kara sighed, tilting her head back. “Kate, I’m not the one you want, and we both know it.”

“I’m not the one _you_ want, either, but we could have a lot of fun,” Kate replied, and then shrugged it off. “Listen, have you ever even admitted it to yourself?”

“Admitted what?” she said, and couldn’t help blushing _again_. That really was a reaction that should’ve been under conscious control.

Kate tugged at her hand, chiding. “That you like girls. I know, you dated guys, but bisexuality is a thing. You can even claim pansexual if that suits you better. But you should be honest with yourself. I know it’s scary. It still makes everything else easier to bear.”

“I’m not _afraid_. There isn’t much on this planet that can hurt me,” Kara said.

“Physically, no. Emotionally, you’re less Girl of Steel and more Girl of Marshmallow.” Kate smirked at that one.

“ _Hey!_ ” Kara yelped, and made as if to shove her shoulder.

She wouldn’t have _done_ it, they were sitting on the edge of a roof and only one of them could fly, but Kate still pulled back slightly. And then almost did overbalance, grabbing the parapet to stabilize herself

Kara, however, reacted on instinct to seeing her wobble, and grabbed her leather jacket. That put her well inside Kate’s space, and there was a moment, just a second really, where Kara looked into her eyes and shared her breath.

If she’d been Lena… But she wasn’t, and Kara pulled back. If nothing else, this crazy night had made it plain to her exactly how deep and true her feelings ran.

Kate just chuckled. She hadn’t even dropped her beer. “That’s smooth, you ought to try that one on Lena. Half-knock her off a roof and steal a kiss.”

“ _Kate,_ ” Kara groaned, rolling her eyes. “You shouldn’t sit that close to the edge, you don’t have your suit or your grapnel. _And_ you’re drinking.”

“Safe as houses. I’m sitting here with _you_ ,” Kate pointed out. “Besides, you and Lena already have the kissing part of things handled.”

“I’ve caught her falling off a balcony and a cliff, too,” Kara admitted.

“Aww, that must’ve been cute. Did you bridal-carry her back up?” Kate was only teasing, but when Kara didn’t look at her, she laughed again. “You’re such a romantic.”

“Shut up,” Kara muttered, looking away again.

Kate nudged her hip with the toe of one shoe. “Hey. Do me a favor, just for me. Say it out loud, just once.”

“Say what out loud?” Kara asked, being deliberately obtuse.

Kate scoffed. “Say you like girls. No one else can hear you, it’s just us.”

Kara smiled a little, and said, “You like girls. I promise you, Kate, that’s not a secret. There’s people on the space station who know _that_.”

“Oh you cheesy little… Kara, you know what I meant.” Kate tried to glower, but she was smiling too much. “Come on. Life’s better out of the closet. It’s easier to breathe out here.”

Taking a deep breath, Kara turned back to her. “Fine. I like girls. Specifically, Lena. There, you happy?” Weirdly, it _did_ feel like a weight off her chest just to say it.

“I am,” Kate said, the beer bottle dangling negligently from her fingers. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Not like you needed me to tell you,” Kara replied. “I think you knew before I did.”

“I’m pretty good at spotting latent gays,” Kate said. “Seriously, though. Doesn’t it feel better, having said it?”

“Yeah. It does.” Kara thought about it for a while. The new timeline’s history meant that she didn’t really have to _come out_ to most of their friends, what with all the articles about her and Lena’s relationship. But she couldn’t just let that hang in the air, and say nothing. Since all of their friends remembered a different history now, she needed to let them know that the whole dating thing wasn’t some dastardly plan by Lex.

It was something she’d always wanted, and never let herself admit to. And until now, the only person she’d talked to about it at all was Lena.

Kara met Kate’s gaze, and smiled. “Thank you. I needed to do that.”

“What are friends for?” Kate said lightly. Then she grinned. “Glad I could lend a little courage where needed.”

“It’s always welcome. And if you need a little extra hope, I have plenty to share,” Kara told her.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kate said solemnly. Then her eyes sparkled with amusement again, and she added, “Just promise me one thing, all right?”

Kara braced herself for another teasing joke, and said, “Whatever you need.”

Kate took a long pull off her beer, nearly finishing it. “Invite me to the wedding.”

“ _Kate!_ ”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I was going to put everything in one final chapter, but it would be 7k words and a very distinct theme change and time skip halfway through. So it made more sense to post it as two chapters.
> 
> I've finished writing the fic, I just want to proofread the last part a bit more before I post.

When it all came down, it happened _fast_. Kara was summoned to another emergency, and found a trap instead. She kicked down the door to where the supposed hostages were being held, and kryptonite gas brought her to her knees, green fire lacing through her lungs, spreading to every joint and muscle. This wasn’t like the Fortress, the concentration was much higher.

And Lex Luthor was waiting for her. “I really have to tell you, I’m disappointed in you, Supergirl,” he said with a snide little smile. “I would think even _you_ could learn to look before you leap by now.”

Kara breathed harshly, glaring at him. “Not … when people are in danger.” Her anger and resentment gave her strength to stand, and he backed away hastily, taking something out of his pocket. A shard of pure kryptonite, glowing green, and Kara groaned to see it.

“If it’s any comfort, the hostages on the floor below us _are_ all involved with Leviathan,” Lex said. “It’s going to be a terrible blow to your public image - and your cousin’s - when the world finds out you killed them. But you’ll be dead by then, so I suppose it won’t matter to you.”

“I didn’t … I wouldn’t…” Kara wheezed, stumbling against the wall. She barely managed to keep herself upright.

“History is written by the victors. And I’ll be able to use my resources within the DEO to spin this story however I need it. There _is_ a bomb, even one built by Leviathan, but it’s not armed. The timer is counting down to the activation of a laser device that will have devastating and gruesome results before self-destructing. I’ve studied your heat vision enough to replicate its effects.” Lex sighed, shrugging. “And then? Well, unfortunately the Leviathan agents had a kryptonite weapon. The scene will make it appear that Supergirl didn’t kill them _quite_ fast enough to stop them from using it. Such a shame.”

Kara had nearly died so many times that this didn’t even feel real anymore. She tried to conjure up the strength to attack, to slap the kryptonite out of his hand, but it just wasn’t there. At least she knew that Alex would _never_ believe this lie. None of her friends would.

And that might be the fragile thread that could save her. Kara gave Lex a desperate, bitter smile. “Lena will _never_ believe that.”

“Of course not,” Lex said, shaking his head. “My dear little sister knows just what a hypocrite you are, but she’d never believe you were a killer. Still, I think she’ll thank me for this one. You really are becoming an unwelcome influence.”

As if Kara’s despair conjured the sound, she heard the clicking of high heels in the corridor outside. And then Lena was there, looking coldly at her brother. “Really, Lex? You think I’d _thank_ you for stealing my revenge? It’s a good thing you’re predictable; I’d never forgive you if I wasn’t here in time for this.”

Kara’s heart dropped, and she whispered, “Lena?” But there was no sympathy in the green gaze that met hers, only cold determination.

Lena walked up to Lex, who smiled proudly at her, and held out her hand. “Give me that. I’m the one who perfected the formula, after all.”

He looked at her musingly, and handed over the shard. “All this time, I thought you were too soft to do what needs to be done. I admit, you surprised me when you shot me. But this? Murdering your brother is a tradition as old as Cain and Abel. Murdering your lover … Lena, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“If I really loved her, this would be a very different meeting,” Lena said, smiling as she took the kryptonite. “Besides, Lex, I only succeeded in killing you temporarily. And you _did_ try to kill me first. Let’s let bygones be bygones, shall we?”

“Of course,” he said warmly, pride evident in his voice. Lex took a step back, and gestured to Kara. “Go ahead, sis.”

“Thank you. As if I’d let you steal my moment.” Lena cut him a look from beneath lowered brows, and for just a second Kara saw the pair of them the same way she supposed other people saw her and Alex: the weight of all their years together, their knowledge of each other, the thousand little looks and remarks that built up sibling love and rivalry.

Then Lena was walking toward her, shaking her head slightly, and the look in her eyes was stern, controlled. Kara tried to flinch back from the kryptonite in her hand, but only the wall was holding her up. She took a sliding step along it, fixing her gaze on Lena, hoping against hope to see some kind of secret plan in her expression.

“Oh, this won’t kill you,” Lena said with a bitter smile. “I know your kryptonite tolerance very well. But you _will_ suffer, until I’ve had my say.”

“Lena … don’t…” Her own voice was thready, despairing.

Lena’s expression hardened. “You should’ve thought about the consequences _before_ you lied to me. And to come back, begging my forgiveness - oh, what a fool you are. Did you really believe I’d just roll over and let you back in? Haven’t you ever heard the story about the scorpion and the frog? I’m only doing what’s in my nature.”

“You’re … not … a villain,” Kara gasped out.

“You always underestimate me,” Lena said, her voice ringing cold and clear. “That’s your greatest flaw. All of that power, all of that capability, and you can’t see what’s right in front of you. I could’ve been your greatest ally, but you had to _use_ me. Really, this is your own fault.”

Kara’s eyes stung with tears. She’d made her peace with death a long time ago, but not like _this_. Not at the hands of someone who meant so much to her. “Lena … I love you.”

Something in Lena’s expression broke, and Kara saw the pain in her eyes. It took her right back to that moment in the Fortress, when Lena bared her broken heart, and Kara reached for her face. “Don’t do this,” she whispered, willing Lena to understand. She could die if she had to, but she didn’t want this stain on Lena’s soul. “Not you…” 

Lena caught Kara’s hand before her fingers met Lena’s cheek, and held it in a gentle, implacable grip. “I loved you, once,” Lena said, her voice breaking. “You were my _world_. And you were the one who burned it all down.”

Kara had no reply, but Lex spoke up then. “Not to interrupt this little therapy session, but if we want to be out of here before the laser show starts, you need to wrap it up.”

“What did I tell you about stepping on my moment?” Lena said, darting a playful glance over her shoulder.

She turned back to Kara, her expression solemn, her composure back in place. Kara remembered her talking about Lillian when Lex had been arrested, how she understood feeling that cold and calm in circumstances where wild grief or rage might be more appropriate. Lena was like that now, everything under control, and Kara looked into her eyes, hoping for some spark of feeling.

There was _something_ there, but all Kara could see was pain. And even in the face of her own death, all she could feel was compassion and sorrow.

“You knew exactly what my company, my family, my _name_ , meant to me,” Lena said levelly, pocketing the kryptonite. “You should have known it would come to this.”

“Lena, I’m sorry,” Kara whispered.

And in a very different voice, Lena murmured, “Don’t be, love. I wasn’t talking to _you_.”

The flickering ember of hope blazed up like wildfire, Kara’s eyes going wide, and as Lena turned her left hand came out of her pocket with a small electronic device. Before Lex could speak a word, she’d pressed a button, and they all heard a loud _clunk_ echo through the building.

“Lena…” Lex said, his hand going to his own pocket.

“Don’t bother,” Lena said flatly, and she already had a gun out, aimed squarely at Lex. “I’ve just disabled all your security measures, along with the laser downstairs and the kryptonite gas emitters up here. You _know_ I’ll shoot you. I’ve done it before.”

He held his hands out at his sides, warily. “You’re going to attack the head of the DEO? To save some Leviathan agents? Think about how this will look, Lena. You _know_ how much pressure I can bring to bear.”

“You weren’t listening, were you?” Lena asked, and as the kryptonite gas dissipated, Kara could stand up straight. Lena was right in front of her, shielding her from Lex. “Lex, _you_ were the one who betrayed me. Again, and again. You were the one who stole _everything_ I gained, everything I built. And you should have _known_ it’s not in my nature to do evil. How could I possibly let you get away with this?”

“You knew the moment you turned on me, it was over,” Lex said. “I told you that with a truth-seeker on my arm. But _you’re_ the betrayer this time, Lena. And there will be no forgiveness.”

“I can live with that,” Lena said, and only Kara could hear the faintest tremor in her voice.

Lex cocked his head at them. “I’m curious, though. All those times I beat you at chess, you didn’t think I’d anticipate this? You didn’t think I’d have a counter ready?”

“You mean the Cadmus task force on its way here, under Mom’s direction? The task force I tipped everyone about on my way here?” Lena asked silkily. He looked surprised for just a fleeting moment, an expression Kara savored, and then Lex hardened his expression as Lena continued. “Don’t worry, you’ll see her soon. You’ll both be arraigned on the same day, most likely. And Lex?”

“Yes? _Dear_ sister?” he said, even as the outer doors open and DEO agents led by Alex came streaming in.

“I _let_ you win at chess.” Lena smiled, cold and cruel. “It’s called playing the long game. You should’ve tried it.”

“It’s over, Luthor,” Alex said, handcuffs out.

“You’re fired,” he told her, never taking his eyes off Lena.

Alex laughed, grabbing his wrists. “Based on some _very_ damning reports that are presently in the hands of the National City PD and a few other interested parties, we had to go in a new direction for DEO leadership.”

“Good to see you, Director Danvers,” Lena said with a smile. “Oh, and Lex - you weren’t the only one envisioning a new world. I’m not the only person who remembers the old one, either.” Kara privately rejoiced at that; Lena had even remembered not to implicate J’onn in the restoration of everyone’s memories.

Rage burned in Lex’s eyes, but only for a moment. He let them lead him away, as Alex turned to Lena and Kara.

“You have a lead-lined box, I hope,” Lena said, bringing the kryptonite out of her pocket. “I want this as far from us as possible.”

Seeing it made Kara woozy; even without the kryptonite gas, the shard was throwing off enough radiation to affect her. “I’m okay,” she said, knowing they would both be upset when they realized how off-kilter she really was.

And then she fainted.

…

“You’ll get a sunburn,” Alex warned, but that was all she said about Lena staying at Kara’s side, even in the med bay at the DEO. The yellow sun lamps bathed her in golden warmth, and she was resting peacefully now, not the thin feverish sleep she’d first fallen into.

Lena had been … concerned. No, that wasn’t accurate. _Worried sick_ was more like it, her stomach had churned and her chest had felt tight, watching Kara fighting the kryptonite while Lena stalled for time. And then seeing her faint, watching the hero - _her_ hero - slump to the ground unconscious, it was a wonder Lena hadn’t had a heart attack right then.

She’d insisted on coming to DEO headquarters and monitoring Kara’s recovery. Not everyone in the organization had had their memories restored, and she wouldn’t be surprised if Lex had a few loyalists in the place. He was very charming, after all.

Now Kara was hooked up to monitors, all of which were showing biometric data in soothing green, not alarm red. The heart monitor beeped softly, regularly. Lena kept glancing at all of them, not quite reassured. She wouldn’t feel _safe_ again until those royal blue eyes opened.

Kara’s right hand was on top of the blanket, and Lena felt guilty reaching out to take it in her own. But she also felt _better_ , immediately. She laced her fingers through Kara’s and watched that lovely face. Asleep, without her glasses on, she looked like a blend of both identities. Kara’s softness, Supergirl’s strength.

Somewhere deep in Lena’s soul, a lot of little boxes were coming open. The largest one had burst its seams when Kara fainted, letting out the wild, angry, impossible love she’d crammed into it so she could keep on deceiving her mother and brother. Lena recognized why that one failed; she’d put too much into it. Her anger at Kara for deceiving her, her pain at being betrayed by the _one_ person she’d trusted, and the love she _still_ felt for Kara despite both. Trying to shove all of that into the same box had been foolish, but it was a desperate move. Lena hadn’t had time to compartmentalize or process her emotions. She’d been acting on the pain and rage, letting them bleed off, until the Crisis.

Since awakening in this new world, Lena had found the love leaking out the most. She’d opened another box, hoping it would take some of the pressure off, and let her lust out instead. Without, of course, acknowledging that _lusting_ after her decidedly female best friend had some serious implications. Kate Kane hadn’t allowed her the security of denial, though. Lena had gone through some older, dustier boxes on her own time, facing the fact that on Earth Prime, apparently _everyone_ knew Lena Luthor was a lesbian.

Everyone except Lena herself, and how tragically ironic was that?

And yet, Kara wouldn’t let her indulge her lust, even if she manifestly returned the feeling. There was a point past which Kara simply wouldn’t go, and she’d said more than once that she needed to know this was real. Lena couldn’t tell her so, not without ripping open a whole lot of boxes at once, and her ability to play along with Lex and Lillian demanded that she keep everything besides her intellect and ambition locked down _tight_.

Now she could say it, if she wanted. If Kara would wake to hear it, she would say everything she’d been holding inside. Lena lifted Kara’s hand, and kissed the back of it gently.

An hour later, as Lena was dozing off, Kara’s eyelids flickered. Lena sat up, inadvertently squeezing her hand, and Kara squeezed back. Then she blinked herself awake, and Lena thought to withdraw her hand, not sure if the touch was welcome at a moment like this.

Kara’s fingers tightened on hers, not letting her go, and looked over at her. The uncertainty in her eyes was heartbreaking. “Lena?”

“Yes, love,” Lena said, and _that_ just slipped out. But she’d been sitting here for an hour, worrying and thinking.

For a long moment, Kara just looked at her, as if memorizing her face. “You did it. You got Lex and Lillian put in jail.”

“I did. There’s a very impatient detective awaiting my statement, but I refused to leave your side and Alex backed me up. Those DEO credentials come in handy.” Lena allowed herself a smile of relief. “ _We_ did it, though. I’m glad you caught on to how I was handling him, and played along.”

Kara only looked at her for a long moment, then shook her head. “I … didn’t. Until the very end.”

Lena’s stomach suddenly dropped, her spine turning to ice. “You didn’t realize… You thought all of that was meant for _you_?!”

The blonde nodded slowly, her eyes glazing. Lena bit her lip, her heart aching, and brought Kara’s hand up to her mouth for another kiss placed on her knuckles. “ _Kara_. No, love, I was talking to _him_ , and phrasing it so he’d _think_ I meant you. I just had to stall him for a few minutes for the DEO to get there. Kara, I…” She started to say, _I would never be so cruel to you,_ but they both knew better. Lena _had_ been that cruel.

The pain and anger had slowly bled away, over time. That had been happening even before the Crisis. Now, with Kara in her life every day - and in her arms all too frequently - Lena found she couldn’t maintain that icy wrath. She’d told Lex she had only done what was in her nature - and it was her nature to crave the warmth and kindness Kara offered so freely. Lena could no more help turning toward her than a flower could resist following the sun.

Softly, Lena asked, “If you thought I was talking to you, why didn’t you fight back? Why didn’t you try to stop me?” She couldn’t believe that Kara had thought the whole time that Lena meant to kill her, and had just … taken it. Kate’s words haunted her, telling Lena that Kara would forgive her anything. That, perhaps, had been too much to forgive. Lena certainly wouldn’t look so warmly on anyone she’d believed meant to _kill_ her. Not until she was thoroughly convinced they hadn’t meant it. 

But Kara? Kara had already forgiven her, it seemed, and was holding her hand as if she never meant to let go. The blonde smiled, slow and sad. “I still had hope. Besides, Lena, I said I would always believe in you, always protect you. I meant that. I _can’t_ hurt you, not on purpose, not like that. I was mostly thinking … I can handle dying. I just didn’t want you to have to deal with being the one to kill me.”

“You stubborn, impossible, too good for your own good…” Lena trailed off, and kissed Kara’s hand again. “Never again. I don’t think they’ll ever trust me again, and I can’t bring myself to hurt you again.”

Kara disentangled their fingers, and reached out to stroke Lena’s cheek. “Then we have to make sure they both stay in prison for a long time.”

That was the moment Alex walked in on, both of them gazing intently at each other. She cleared her throat, and they both glanced up. “Kara, your vitals look fine. If you’re up to it, we need you on cleanup.”

“Duty calls,” Kara said wryly.

Alex smiled. “We’re going to all meet up at my place, after. Sort of a celebratory ‘we’re not working for the devil’ anymore thing. I already put in an order for ridiculous amounts of pizza and potstickers, so don’t take too long.”

“You’re the best,” Kara said, her eyes bright again at the mention of food. Lena chuckled under her breath; she couldn’t believe how she hadn’t grown suspicious of Kara’s Kryptonian metabolism sooner.

Alex turned to her then, and the very competent agent looked a little nonplussed. “Lena, I know this is probably a bit conflicting for you. Lex might be an asshole, but he’s still your brother. If you don’t want to come, I understand.”

“You’re inviting _me_?” Lena said, caught by surprise.

“Well, yeah, you _were_ integral to taking him down,” Alex said with a shrug. “Also, we miss you. Also-also, if you and Kara are going to be dating for real, I’m just going to start expecting that you’ll be her plus-one for everything.”

That made Kara look at her, worried. Lena let herself smile. “Well, darling, in that case … I’d ask you out to dinner, but it appears your sister already made plans for us.”

Kara smiled like the sunrise. “I told you, Lena, it was never fake for me. I’d ask _you_ out to dinner, but … same problem.”

“Congratulations on avoiding the useless lesbians stereotype,” Alex said. “Just please don’t get gross with it, okay? There are things I don’t want to see.”

Sitting up, Kara grinned at her sister, and said, “Then you’d better close your eyes,” she teased, and tugged Lena closer.

She was leaning in to kiss Lena’s cheek - knowing Kara, she’d want to start from a clean slate, as if they hadn’t been _keeping up appearances_ so thoroughly for over a month. Lena wasn’t exactly on board with that approach, so she turned her head and caught Kara’s lips with her own.

In a way, it was their first kiss - the first one that hadn’t had an ulterior motive behind it. Caught by surprise, Kara’s nose bumped Lena’s, and her eyes went wide. Lena just ran a hand into her hair and kissed her again. That time it was tender, sweet, both of them smiling into it.

It was also very gratifying to hear the heart rate monitor start beeping faster.

“Oh my _God_ ,” Alex groaned. “Enough, okay? I’ll see you both at seven. Don’t forget you have an actual job to do, Kara.”

The blonde drew back, chuckling, and her eyes sparkled as she smiled at Lena. “I’d better get going. See you at seven?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Lena said.

…

Dinner at Alex’s place went well, with a few stilted moments, but their friends kept smoothing over those readily. _Their_ friends, it felt odd to think that; Lena was surprised to realize that most of them were willing to welcome her back despite everything.

“So are you keeping up the fake-dating, or…” Nia asked, trailing off when Alex rolled her eyes.

“Fake dating is over,” Kara announced, taking Lena’s hand. “It’s for real, from here on out.”

She sounded absolutely giddy about it, and Lena smiled at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

It could be all right. It _would_ be all right. She had to trust in something. And they had no more secrets left.

Well, Lena had one, but it was more in the nature of a surprise than an actual secret. It still made her nervous as hell.


	7. Chapter 7

Of course, Lena had to testify against her brother and mother. Kara knew how hard that would be for her, although she maintained an impenetrable facade of stoic calm. She had to face them, had to look at both of them the entire time she spoke their doom, and just outside the courtroom Kara fretted and watched with x-ray vision, alert for any hint of treachery.

When it was finally over and Lena left the witness stand, she walked past both of them with careful dignity, appearing unruffled, never sparing a glance for either. Her gaze stayed fixed on the doors, seeing nothing but escape.

When she stepped out, Kara was right there waiting for her. Lena blinked as the doors fell shut, finally seeing what was in front of her. Kara just opened her arms, and Lena walked into her embrace, dropping her head on Kara’s shoulder.

She rubbed Lena’s back, and after a few moments of fraught silence, quietly led her to the car and drove her home to her apartment. At first Lena’s eyes were distant and her hands were cold, but Kara waited. Eventually the facade broke, and Lena wept. Not for Lex, or Lillian. For the mother and brother she _should_ have had, for the love she deserved and had never been given.

Kara spent that night sitting on the couch, just holding Lena and letting her cry for everything that had never been. 

…

Of course, the Super-friends had another party to celebrate Lex’s sentencing. Alex called Kara the morning after Lena’s testimony, asking if she wanted to come. Since Lena had been asleep on Kara’s shoulder, she heard the call and the request, and answered in the affirmative. “We’ll be there,” Kara told her sister. “What time?”

The last day of testimony had been Friday, it was now Saturday, so none of them were really working. The DEO was on call, but their kinds of problems usually happened in the evening or at night. Alex replied, “How does four sound?”

“That works for me. I need to make a trip into the office,” Lena said.

“You shouldn’t have to go in, after all that,” Kara said after signing off with Alex.

Lena smiled. “I’m the CEO again, darling. I need to get a jump on it. Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”

“You’d better be, or I’ll fly in and steal you away,” Kara teased.

Laughing softly, Lena kissed her. It was just a quick peck, due to the fact that neither of them had had a chance to brush their teeth yet. Kara didn’t care that Lena’s eyes were still red from crying the night before, or that her own hair was sticking up everywhere after a restless night on the couch.

So far in their real relationship, they hadn’t had _good_ reasons for her hair to be mussed. There simply hadn’t been time, with Lex’s trial and Leviathan trying to retaliate. Kaa spent every spare minute she could with Lena, but now that they weren’t playing to an audience, she was shy about going for more than hand-holding or a kiss. Lena was just as busy and distracted.

They had time. With Lex and Lillian out of the way, there would be time to take things slow, if they wanted to. Kara didn’t, not really; three years was slow enough. But Lena had had these odd moments of hesitation, as if she couldn’t quite believe it was all real.

That afternoon, it turned out that Alex had invited all of the Paragons, as well as their friends from the DEO. Not all of them could make it on such notice, but Sara called in with congratulations, and so did Ryan. Barry brought Iris, and Kate managed to make it.

It was a noisy, convivial gathering, with a lot of playful banter. Lena had sent a message saying she was running late, so Kara decided to get all of the cheering for Lex’s downfall over with before she showed up. The less awkwardness for her, the better.

They’d just finished singing a rousing version of ‘Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead’ with lyrics adjusted for Lex, when Kara heard Lena’s heartbeat approaching. “Okay, guys, time to simmer down,” she said, and hurried to answer the door even though it wasn’t her apartment. She didn’t need to see Alex to know her sister was rolling her eyes.

Lena looked … amazing, as always. She’d taken her hair down, letting it fall in gentle waves, and worn a more casual dark green dress. Still, casual on Lena was a bit dressier than everyone else in the room. Kara didn’t mind; she liked looking at Lena no matter what she wore.

“I brought champagne,” Lena said, indicating the case of it at her feet. 

“Thank you!” Kara exclaimed, and hugged her. Not like the careful shoulders-only hugs of their life before the Crisis; she stepped in and hugged Lena like she couldn’t get enough contact. Lena melted into it, letting out a sigh as her arms wrapped around Kara’s back.

When they finally let go, Kara picked up the champagne one-handed, her other going automatically to Lena’s hand. “We saved you some food,” she said, tugging Lena into the apartment.

“I’m surprised there’s anything left, with your appetite,” Lena teased.

“Hey, I need fuel for my superpowers,” Kara joked.

She managed to get a couple bottles of champagne chilled with frost-breath while introducing Lena to Barry and Iris, who hadn’t met her yet. Alex gave her a hand, pouring glasses for everyone, and then raised hers. “Who wants to make a toast?”

They all paused; the first toast on everyone’s mind would be to Lex’s forthcoming prison sentence, but no one wanted to say that in front of Lena. Kara bit her lip, trying to come up with something else that wasn’t too obviously a last-minute substitution.

Lena, however, held her glass aloft. “To the triumph of justice over ego, perhaps?”

Kara added, “To saving the day, and saving the _world_. Together.”

“To happy endings for all of us,” Alex said with a smile.

“To love, always,” Barry said, his arm around Iris.

Kate raised hers, too, looking right at Kara. “To having hope, despite all adversity.”

“I can certainly drink to _that_ ,” J’onn proclaimed, ending the round before everyone’s arms got tired of holding their glasses up, and the whole room drank with relief.

There were more toasts, some serious and some playful, plus a renewed assault on the food. Kara kept an eye on Lena, making sure she was all right, and wasn’t pushing herself to be social when she’d rather be alone. She seemed to genuinely be enjoying the company, though, and eventually Kara slipped off to the kitchen alone to see if there were any potstickers left.

Lena joined her there, leaving the rest of the party trying to set up an impromptu game night. “Kara, darling? Do you have a moment?”

There _were_ five lonely potstickers left, and after an agonizing internal debate, Kara offered them to Lena. “For you? Always.”

Declining the food, Lena looked at her intently. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.”

This was something serious, and Kara set down the takeout container, taking Lena’s hands instead. “Is it about us?” she asked.

“Yes,” Lena replied, looking distinctly nervous. 

Kara took a deep breath. “Lena, I love you. I meant everything I said to you. I want you to be happy. I really, _really_ want to be the one who makes you happy.” 

Lena squeezed her fingers slightly, looking hopeful. “Kara, I love you, too. And I’m _going_ to be the one who makes you happy. I don’t give up easily, and I’m never going to give you up.”

“Good. Because I’m never giving you up, either,” Kara said, and tugged her close for a kiss. 

They were in full view of the living room, and after a moment they heard James call out, “Get a room!” The rest echoed him in good-natured laughter.

Lena drew back, shooting them all an imperious glare that brought the noise level down a little. “I’d rather not have an audience for this,” Lena declared. She caught Kara’s hand and headed for the hallway, looking for someplace a little more private.

“Hey! _Hey!_ No making out in my room!” Alex yelled after them, and Kara blushed furiously. 

Rolling her eyes, Lena picked the spare room, and Kara shoved the door closed once they were inside. “Sorry, they’re a little … high-spirited,” she said lamely.

“And they’re all taking it as a given that you and I are going to remain a couple, even though they remember us just being friends,” Lena said thoughtfully.

“Well, yeah,” Kara said, rubbing the back of her neck. “They all saw the, um, lipstick marks and stuff. Besides, you’re still my best friend. Falling in love with you added to that, it didn’t take anything away.”

“Maybe they see something we never did,” Lena mused.

Kara shrugged. “Maybe we could’ve saved ourselves a lot of trouble if we’d seen it sooner. But I don’t care, Lena. I have you now. That’s all I need.”

Lena looked at her steadily. “Kara, I’m … I hurt you just as badly as you hurt me. I’d understand if you didn’t want to deal with that.”

Kara felt her heart drop, and shook her head quickly. “No, Lena. You only hurt me because I hurt you first. And we’re not gonna do that again. No more secrets, no more lies. You’ve proven yourself way more than you ever needed to.”

“You thought I was going to kill you, when Lex sprung his trap,” Lena pointed out, the first time they’d spoken of it since that day.

“Well, you are a pretty good actress,” Kara said with an awkward shrug. “I was glad to be wrong. And even then, Lena, I still thought you might change your mind.”

Those green eyes searched hers. “I could never do that. I _wanted_ to, when Lex first told me. And I planned my grand revenge. But I just _couldn’t_.”

“I’ve been pretty mad at you, too,” Kara admitted. “I couldn’t intentionally hurt you. I also think there’s a big difference between lashing out because you’re hurt, and plotting to destroy someone just because they’re an alien. You’re not your family, Lena, you never could be.”

“I’m glad someone believes that,” Lena murmured.

Kara inclined her head toward the door, and the partygoers in the living room. “They do, too.”

Lena bit her lip, still unsure. “Can I… Kara, when did you know you were in love with me?”

“When I got you the journals,” Kara told her. “Hovering there, looking at you, I was just so grateful to have you in my life any way I could. I wasn’t ready to admit it yet, but that was the moment I knew for sure I was in love.”

Nodding, Lena said in a miserable voice, “I’ve been attracted to you since we met. Not that I was any better at admitting it to myself than you were. I knew it was love … at the Fortress. When I finally told you how much you’d hurt me, and no matter how hurt and angry I was, no matter how much I’d planned to put you in that exact situation, part of me couldn’t stand to see you hurt.”

Kara took hold of her shoulders gently. “Lena, in case I hadn’t made it clear - I _forgive_ you. I understand why you did it - you made sure I would understand. Everything that happened before the Crisis, that’s over now. We can make this world a better one, together.”

Lena gave her the ghost of a smile. “Stronger together, right?”

“Always, Lena. I’ve always been stronger together with you.” Kara smiled bravely, knowing that Lena doubted herself, wanting her to take a measure of the hope for the future that Kara kept in her heart.

Lena nodded, and reached into her pocket. She brought out a small black box, and held it up between them. “Then we should make it official, don’t you think?”

Kara’s jaw dropped as Lena opened the box to reveal a stunning diamond and platinum ring. For a moment, she could only stare - the central stone was a blue diamond of a size that made her nervous just _looking_ at it. It was surrounded by more diamonds, with a pair of sapphires flanking it atop of the band.

She looked back up to meet Lena’s gaze, and saw her hesitant expression. She sounded both nervous and hopeful when she asked, “Kara, will you marry me?”

…

The question was out, Lena had finally beaten the butterflies in her stomach to ask, and it seemed Kara could only stare at her for a long, _long_ second. Time stretched out like taffy as they stood with the ring held between them, something ineffable in Kara’s blue eyes. Lena steeled herself for rejection - the reason why she’d asked here, away from the others. If Kara said _no_ , she didn’t want their friends trying to console her.

Kara’s throat worked, and her hand came up to cup Lena’s cheek. “Lena, I … _yes_ , of course yes, a thousand times yes. I love you _so much,_ ” she said, stumbling over the words at first, then delivering them in a trembling rush.

And, inexplicably, laughing a little. Before Lena could take her hand and slip the ring on, feeling giddy with her proposal accepted, Kara grabbed her free hand. “Wait right here for like, fifteen seconds, okay?”

“No, don’t bring them in,” Lena started to say, not ready to face the rest of them just yet. Her eyes stung with tears of joy, and she wanted a moment to compose herself. But Kara was already gone, and Lena barely had time to heave a sigh before she was back.

With a little black box of her own. Lena caught her breath as Kara held it out to her, her other hand on the lid. “On Krypton, we do this with bracelets instead of rings,” she explained, and opened the box.

The bracelet was platinum, too, set with diamonds and the deepest green emeralds that Lena had ever seen. Kara took it out, and turned the bracelet over to show her the inscription on the inside of the band. In Kryptonian letters, of course, and she could read it well enough to see both of their names, linked by the motto ‘el mayarah’. _Stronger together_.

“I was waiting for the right moment to ask _you_ to marry _me_ ,” Kara said with a gentle smile. “Guess you beat me to it, but I’d still like you to have this.” 

“Of course,” Lena said. She caught Kara’s hand, placing her ring on the third finger, and then Kara placed the bracelet on her left wrist with the same sense of ceremony.

The two of them stood, their hands linked, looking at the new jewelry and thinking about what it meant for both of them. Kara grinned, and started to lean in for a kiss. Lena laughed, and met her halfway.

That was when the door opened, Kelly already wincing. “Okay, you two better be dressed. Alex says you’ve been in here too long…” 

As they both turned to her with affronted expressions, she saw the ring on Kara’s hand, and let out a shriek of surprise. “You got _engaged_?! Oh my God, congratulations!”

It was too late, Lena had wanted a moment to savor this alone, but Kelly was audible all the way out in the living room. 

…

Kara heard Alex yelp, “ _What?!_ ” She caught Lena’s hand with a sheepish smile, leading her out into the hall. It would get claustrophobic quickly if all of them tried to pile into the spare room.

Alex met them there, and Kara held up her left hand, smiling broadly. “Surprise!”

For a moment, Alex looked shocked … until she saw Lena hold up her hand, too, and saw the bracelet around her wrist. That made her grin, stepping aside so they could head into the living room. “Congrats, you two. About damn time.”

“Excuse me, we’ve only been _really_ dating a few months,” Lena said stiffly.

“And dancing around each other for three years,” Alex pointed out. She couldn’t make any other commentary, though, because they’d reached the living room.

They were going to have to make a spectacle of it, Kara saw, as everyone was already staring their way. So she turned sideways and caught Lena’s left hand in her own left, raising it like a prizefighter to show off the ring and bracelet. Brainy and J’onn smiled, while the rest cheered. 

Kate, though, just smirked. “Good for you, girls,” she said, holding up her half-empty champagne. “About time.”

“Why is everyone saying that?” Lena said, her brows furrowing.

“Because you’ve been obsessed with each other for so long?” Kelly offered.

“And making out like a couple of teenagers ever since the Crisis,” Alex added in disgust. 

Kate knocked back her champagne, and Kara knew her well enough to recognize the mischievous gleam in her eyes. She was about to say _something_ snarky, and Kara braced herself. 

She still wasn’t quite ready for it. Kate asked, “You’re inviting me to the wedding, right? Fancy catered reception, open bar, the works? Do I get to make a speech?”

“Why should we allow that?” Lena challenged, lifting her chin.

Laughing, Kate shot back, “Hell, you should name your first kid after me. I’ve been trying to buy you both a clue since I first heard about _you_ , Lena.” 

Kara winced. Most of them looked puzzled, and Alex snickered. “So _you’re_ taking credit for this?”

“Oh shit, you don’t even know,” Kate told her. “I had to hit on _both_ of them to make ‘em admit how gay they are for each other. I _mid-wifed_ this relationship! I’m absolutely taking credit for this.”

“You hit on Kara?” Lena said, arching an imperious brow.

“ _Lena,_ ” Kara said, squeezing her fingers gently. “Relax, she’s a friend. And she did help me figure things out. I didn’t realize she’d talked to _you_.”

Kate chuckled, twirling her empty glass. “She came to Gotham to warn me off. Gotta say, Lena, I’m glad it turned out this way. I was worried about you for a minute.”

Lena’s eyes were cool and assessing on Kate, but she finally smiled and turned back to Kara. “You’ve always had _interesting_ friends. I suppose I ought to be used to it.”

Kate just grinned. “Hey, out of curiosity, who proposed first?”

“Why do you ask?” Lena replied.

“I’ve got fifty bucks on you,” Kate said.

“Hey!” Kara yelped. “I _had_ the bracelet. I was just waiting for the right moment. Also, who’s betting on stuff like that?”

“Dammit, Kara. So much for family loyalty,” Alex sighed, taking out her wallet. Kara rolled her eyes. 

J’onn cleared his throat, standing up. “Kara, would you chill another bottle of champagne? I do believe this news deserves a toast of its own.”

Everyone echoed that, and Kara got busy filling glasses for everyone. Kate dropped her a wink as she poured, and Kara just smiled indulgently at her. Once they were ready, J’onn raised his glass high. “To the happy couple.”

“To Kara and Lena,” everyone else replied, Kara blushing a little. All of them were smiling so delightedly, even Alex who’d been calling her hopeless for the last month.

As soon as the toast was over, Nia sat forward, her eyes sparkling. “So … when do we get to start planning the wedding? Do you have a venue in mind? Got colors picked out?”

Her enthusiasm made Kara chuckle, and she looked over to Lena. None of this was planned yet, beyond wanting Lena in her life, now and forever. All the rest was just minor details.

Lena smiled back. “I only know two things for certain. One, I’m going to take out a full-page engagement announcement in every paper and magazine I think Lex and Lillian might be able to get in prison.”

That idea got cheers, even though it made Kara blush more. “Showoff. What’s the other thing?”

Lena’s usual poise faded, and she bit her lip. “Two … I’m hyphenating. I might hate everything the Luthor name stands for, but I can’t run from it. Eventually we can change what it means in people’s minds.”

It was more complicated than Lena said, and she knew it. There _were_ things to be proud of, in the Luthor legacy, most of them things Lena had done or traits she exemplified. And Kara would not have asked her to change her identity. If she’d wanted to be a Danvers, Kara would’ve supported it. Since she didn’t… “Then I’m hyphenating, too. Luthor-Danvers, or Danvers-Luthor? Which sounds better?”

Lena’s expression seemed surprised. “Danvers-Luthor, I think. Lillian’s going to _hate_ that. I’ll put it in the announcement.”

Kara reached for her hand again, smiling. “Well, Mrs. Danvers-Luthor, I guess we’d better start making plans for the future.”

“I suppose so, Mrs. Danvers-Luthor,” Lena replied, and Kara could tell she liked the way the name felt in her mouth.

“I’m gonna be sick,” Alex muttered, but she was smiling too.

Kate cut in with, “I’ll let the rest of you plan the wedding. Just let me plan the bachelorette party. I’ll cut you a deal on renting the club.”

“We are _not_ letting you plan the bachelorette party,” Lena said hurriedly. “I don’t even want to know what you’d have in mind.” Kate just laughed.

Kara shook her head slightly, and she and Lena finally took their seats. Nia seemed the most excited for wedding planning, and Kara felt a little weird to realize she’d never given it much thought before.

Lena apparently had, and as they discussed options, she relished casting aside all the Luthor expectations that had been placed on her. It was a new kind of freedom, for her, to even be able to consider having a small private wedding, perhaps even in Midvale.

It _was_ looking like a larger reception would be necessary, especially after Barry called Sarah with the news and the Legends got involved in the congratulations. For the first time in months, Kara just leaned back and let the conversation wash over her, content to bask in her friends’ regard. They were all so happy for her and Lena.

Leaning against her shoulder, Lena whispered in her ear, “After this, let’s go back to mine for dessert.”

Kara’s attention was always focused on food. “Do you have that mint chocolate gelato?” she asked.

Lena chuckled softly. “Not the dessert I had in mind, darling.”

It took Kara three full seconds to understand what she meant and start blushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me through this fic that was meant to be a one-shot. I hope you enjoyed the conclusion!
> 
> I will write Supercorp again. This fandom has been amazing, and you readers are wonderful. All of the comments have been an absolute delight.


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